Podcasts about Retraining

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 6 Marion continues growing but must suffer a loss. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 25. When Luke and Marion woke up the next morning, it was storming out. Nothing really serious, just one of those late summer storms with a decent amount of rain, some wind and usually some lighting. Being that it was a warm rain, Luke went out into it without putting clothes on. It was about the perfect temperature. With some persuasion, Marion came out too. Soon both of them were playing like children with them jumping in mud puddles and just having a good time. Marion, before too long, was working on getting everyone else to strip down and join them. The women were quick to strip down and Bard followed suit not too long after. Robin though, was raised to be very modest and in believing that the devil would soon visit; so, he wouldn't strip down with everyone else. Marion, for her part, respected his views and didn't try forcing his which he appreciated. Basically, as long as he respected her view, she respected his. The rain continued for almost an hour. During this time the miserable feeling of the day before were forgotten for the time being. The group was having too much fun. Not only was playing in the rain fun, but they were all busy teasing Marion about her limping and careful walking. Everyone had heard her the night before and this actually helped the group start to recover from Stella's death. All too soon though, the rain stopped and it was back to business. Marion had left it to Pollyanna, Stella's closest friend, on where to bury her. Pollyanna picked a small church, in the village, from where Stella was originally from. So, the group made to four hour track to the village church. Once there though, the group realized that the whole village had been abandoned. From the looks of things, it had been abandoned not that long ago. Gabriel found an empty space in the cemetery and Alice had even found a coffin for Stella. Luke and Bard took care of digging the grave, making sure to go down six feet. Once the grave had been dug, everyone but Matt grabbed a line and lowered Stella's body into the ground. Once done, Marion spoke a few words. After she had finished, but before everyone started to bury her, Pollyanna started speaking: “For my best friend, the woman who taught me to be a woman and who encouraged me to fight like a man; I cannot thank you enough. I swear this now that I shall ever stop working toward freeing the people of this tormented land so that no others have to make the choices that you did, Stella. For nobody should be forced into the position of selling their bodies just so that their children can have something to eat, or having to watch as those children are ripped away by soldiers because the family couldn't pay the record high taxes levied on them because some lazy noble wanted to host a bigger party then their neighbor. Go in peace know Stella and know that I will always love you for all that you have done for me.” “Amen” everyone said while trying to hold back their tears. When she finished, everyone in the group started to openly weep; Pollyanna had just said out loud what everyone had been feeling in their hearts. Eventually, they started burying their friend, and Pollyanna finished things by pushing a cross which Gabriel had made into the ground. The cross had actually been Stella's sword at one time, but Gabriel had broken it in half after Stella had been killed and had etched Stella's name and date of death on it. After they finished, Luke put his arms around Marion's shoulder. This always made her feel better and it did this time as well. Looking around, Marion started getting curious about this village. It looking like a nice enough place to stay, so the group split up to search the village. Luke found a fully intact blacksmithing shop that still had its tools in it and plenty of raw materials laying around. Marion found a small tavern but all the alcohol was gone. Robin and Bard checked out the church while Gabriel went up to check out the steeple for this looked like the prefect place from which she could pick off intruders. Alice went though the houses and found one that was significantly cleaner than the rest. To make it better, it had a large supply of herbs in it that Alice recognized as having medicinal value. Not only that, it still had to tools to process the herbs. Pollyanna meanwhile stayed with Matt and they talked quietly. They both realized that they were quickly falling in love and only hoped that nobody would object. Luke of course already knew about them and had told them as much. He also told them that as long as they continued to do their duties that he had no objections. In fact, he had wished them the best of luck and they looked like they belonged together, and they made a cute couple. Within an hour the group met back up at the church. Marion made the decision to move their base of operations here as soon as they could get all their gear and they had scouted the area. Everyone agreed with her; this was far nicer living then in the forest plus there was so much here that they could use that it would be foolish not to move. An added bonus was that they were now further away from York and therefore safer for the time being. The last thing that justified them moving was that they had been recently discovered and didn't know how long it would be before Cecilia would try again. She figured that it would probably take them about a week or so to move. Matt and Alice would stay behind, in the village, while the group moved. Moving around was extremely painful for Matt and Alice would have to take care of him. Pollyanna made the announcement that her and Matt were now an item in the most obvious way possible. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a giant, wet kiss on his lips. That simple kiss began to turn into something more when Matt started pushing his tongue into Pollyanna's mouth. Only Marion loudly clearing her throat made them stop. When Pollyanna looked up, she looked like the kid how got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. This made the rest of the group fall over laughing and Pollyanna's reddening face didn't help any. Eventually everyone in the group were able to compose themselves. Marion told Pollyanna to stay behind to not only help protect Matt but also to scout the area. Marion told her that the rest of them would be back the next day with some of the gear and to hear what all Pollyanna had found while scouting. Marion and Luke couldn't for the life of them understand why everyone in the village was gone. In fact, it looked like everyone had just stopped whatever it was that they had been doing and left. This was actually not far from the truth. This village was one of those that refused to follow Cecilia so she had come in and forced all the residence of the area to move to York. Of course, the young men were forced into her army while the young woman were force to become army whores. Thing is though that the village itself hadn't been destroyed and now it was going to be Marion's new base of operations. The trip back was much faster than the trip to the village, in the first place. On the way back, the group was able to ambush a small patrol. One of the members was only badly wounded so Marion was able to pump him for information; although she didn't have to pump very hard for the man was one of Cecilia's forced recruits. “Cecilia's hold is slipping as most soldiers refuse to leave their quarters anymore. For the most part she is having to rely on mercenary soldiers who have never heard of you ma'am. Also, I feel that I should warn you that she is planning another major offensive aimed at forcing you out of the forest so that she can finally eliminate you. This time she will be using her mercenary troops and their commanders are extremely tough men. They make everyone in Cecilia's regular army seem like little girls instead of fighting men.” With this the man died. Marion ordered that the man be at least given a burial instead of just dragging him off into the woods to be eaten like they usually did. This patrol had only six men in it and didn't yield very much loot. The most valuable thing they got were the extra horses. Marion was now determined to move camp even faster than before. The rest of the way back was uneventful. Once they were back in camp, Marion had the group immediately start preparing the first load of gear for in the morning. Looking everything over, Marion decided that it should only take three round trips to move everything; two less then she had initially thought. After getting tomorrow morning's gear ready, Luke took the first watch while everyone else bedded down. Marion was taking no chances now, and she relieved Luke four hours later. As soon as started to get light the next morning, Marion woke everyone up. She was anxious to get moving, and within forty minutes the first load was on its way. The trip to the village was fast and uneventful. When they were about fifteen minutes form the village, they were intercepted by Alice. She was standing watch while Pollyanna got some rest. “She found two nearby villages, Marion. In both of them the people were starving. She didn't make contact though for it was only the three of us here. We figured that once everything gets moved that you might want to go to the villages and introduce yourself for it's about time that we stop hiding and start making actual strides toward getting rid of your bitch sister.” “Very good Alice and yes that is exactly what I will do. Now for some news for you. We intercepted a small patrol on our way home yesterday. One of the men was only wounded badly and he told us that Cecilia is getting ready to launch another offensive only this time she's using mercenary troops under professional leadership. I figure that we should be able to get everything moved within three days if we don't get interrupted.” The next couple of days were busy ones for the group. Marion rotated who stayed in the village. This way everyone would have a general idea of the lay of the land before they made their presence known. In order to hide themselves, they even held off setting booby-traps for the time being. After they had gotten the last load, Marion ordered that the whole area around their former camp be riddled with booby-traps of all kinds and in much thicker densities the they usually used. Doing this took the rest of the day and they had to make the trip back to the village in the dark. None of them minded though for they had a full moon and were used to moving around in the dark. Marion was able to get a few hours' sleep when they got back. Her and Luke now had a small house to themselves. Actually, everyone in the group did. Marion's house was the one that had the blacksmith's shop attached to it. The next morning, the group had their first strategy meeting. They all shared everything that they had learned about their new home: where the villages were, where the roads ran, where were the streams, bridges, and fords were at. Luke shared what he would be focusing on for the next couple of weeks. He was going to make horse drawn reaping machines. His machines weren't combines but they would be far ahead of reaping crops with a sickle. Gabriel would go around and set up hidden watch post and look for good trees for which to make good bows and arrows out of. Alice would get a hospital set up. She would also search the area for medicinal plants. Bard would help Luke in the blacksmith shop when he wasn't busy tending to the group's livestock or the fields which the group had found. Pollyanna would be working on mapping the area. Luke had told her to pay particular attention to areas that they could fortify or areas in which they could set up a water powered blacksmith shop or a grist mill. Matt was confined to bedrest for the next five weeks, but while he was in bed, he would be working on making new clothes for everyone and more arrows for the group. Marion in the meantime would be working on getting the other villages in the area to join with her for she knew that she would need their help to overthrow Cecilia. Chapter 26. Cecilia in the meantime, was growing ever more paranoid and fearful of Marion. Her army mostly refused to leave their barracks for they had suffered enough losses at Marion's hands and they didn't want anything more to do with her. When they did go out, they stayed very close to town and they defiantly stayed out of the forest. Even Cecilia's assassins had failed. She had sent them out to kill Marion and instead twenty of them had been killed including their leader. This caused the rest of them to scatter in the wind after all they were assassins not soldiers and they quickly found out that hunting Marion was a fool's errand and a surefire way to meet with God. Or course it took a while for Cecilia to get this news for Marion didn't leave any survivors that knew what had happened. Then just a few days later, a small patrol went missing. They hadn't even been patrolling in an area that Marion had ever attacked before. This caused Cecilia to really lose sleep. Was Marion expanding her operations? Was there another group that was rising up against her? Nobody knew for they couldn't find the bodies. Soon after she had sent her assassins off, Cecilia had a most important visitor. He was a legendary mercenary commander and had a knack for hunting down rebel groups and eliminating them. He had heard of Cecilia's problems, all the way in Paris and he thought that he might be able to get a very good job offer. After all he was able to bring almost one thousand seasoned men into the field. These were very experienced and highly motivated men. At first Cecilia balked at the terms the general was offering but then again, she really didn't have much choice after Marion had routed her regular army. She was hoping that her assassins would be able to get the job done, but she had her doubts and she needed a back-up plan. Cecilia was able to make it to where she wouldn't have to pay most of the cost until the general had proven that he had been successful. After seeing everything that her sister was now capable of, Cecilia had serious doubts that this continental general could do any better. In fact, she told him as such and that was when he agreed to terms that actually favored Cecilia. The visiting general wasn't French but German. His name was General Kleist and he came from the Saxon controlled area of central Europe in what would eventually become central Germany. He was almost fifty years old and had never lost a fight. He had been a soldier since before he needed to shave and had been given his first army when he was eighteen. He had fought all over Europe and had a brutal reputation when it came to rebel groups. Against regular troops he fought with honor, but that completely disappeared when he fought rebels. Most of his men were German, but he had men from all over Europe, including England. These were the men that he would be relying on for this contract. The general had interviewed the surviving men of Cecilia's previous expedition to find out what had happened. What he learned, shocked him. Marion's troops were extremely ingenious and ruthless, but they were also capable of showing extreme kindness as well. Furthermore, Marion didn't strike at the noble's morale, she struck at the common soldier's morale. By convincing them that the fight was worthless and that they would only die if they continued. This made the largest part of the army worthless for its commanders and left the nobles vulnerable to ambushes. General Kleist didn't share the common misconception that knights were invulnerable in battle for he had seen this notion get crushed on numerous occasions. Knights did have their roles to play but they had to have the protection of the infantry. Just as the general was about to leave to fetch the rest of his men, Cecilia got word that a small patrol had disappeared. This sounded like one of Marion's tricks and she forbid the general from leaving for he could send a messenger for his men; she needed him with her now. Kleist would have to force Cecilia's own army into the field. He knew that as a fighting force, that army was worthless at the moment and he told Cecilia that. She then did something that he wasn't really expecting in that she gave him free rein over her army. “General just do whatever you have to do to get those worthless bastards whipped into shape. Then when you are ready, take them out and crush my sister.” “Yes milady.” And he left. What followed was a brutal time for those in the army. General Kleist whipped any man that didn't follow orders. If they complained, they got whipped. If they tried to desert then he had them hung, drawn and quartered, and finally beaten to death by his own comrades. Kleist wanted the men to fear him more than Marion. It took a couple of months but he was making real progress with turning the mob that he started with, back into a real army. During that time, he and Cecilia had started sleeping together. The general found Cecilia to be a very passionate woman and Cecilia found the general to be very experienced in bed and would always make sure that Cecilia was very satisfied. Cecilia was doing this because she hadn't gotten laid since leaving Lincoln and figured that this would be a cheaper way to keep Kleist loyal to her. Kleist was fucking her because for one, she was beautiful. Two, she was powerful and Kleist wanted some of that power for himself and third pounding Cecilia senseless helped him relax in the evenings. Retraining her ragged army was very stressful and Kleist found that fucking Cecilia helped him forget. His eventual goal was to marry her and then use her army to force her out after she had produced a number of children for him but first, he would have to get rid of Marion. It was almost three months after the general first arrived that his army got there. These men were professionals and it showed. They had excellent gear and marched with supreme confidence. It took them just over a week to integrate Cecilia's army with his own, but by the time it was done, he had an army of just over two thousand men. They still didn't know exactly where Marion's forces were at but the area of where Cecilia's first army was routed seemed like a good place to start. Everyone knew that Marion was still around, only now it was Cecilia's tax collectors that were being targeted and all the villages near that forest were now in open rebellion. Problem was that by the time that the general had gotten the army ready, winter had settled over northern England and put all thoughts of an offensive on hold until spring. Nobody fought in winter. It was too dangerous and with no grass available, horses and oxen died in groves so the army and the general settled in for the winter. Chapter 27. Marion and the rest of the group rapidly settled down into the village. Bard was finding out that Luke was a man of many parts when Luke started making reaping machines that they could rent out to the local villages for a tiny part of their harvest. Luke told Bard that the machines would save so much grain that even with paying the fee, the villagers would still be coming out ahead. This way everyone would win. Marion's group would get the food that they would get the food that they would need for the winter and the villagers would get even more grain than usual. An added bonus was that the locals would start trusting Marion and that was more important than the food. While Luke was making machines, he also took the time to teach Bard how to make knives and swords. Before long Bard was making amazingly beautiful swords that were very balanced and were very good at holding their edge. By the time the harvest had come around, Luke had built six reaping machines and had furthermore made harnesses so that horses could be used instead of oxen. This would further speed up the harvest over the old ways. One of the long range projects that Luke was working on was a steam engine that would be able to power the shop and would enable Luke to work on bigger projects faster. Bard kept working on his swords for which soon he was making really good money from; by selling them. In the meantime, Alice was rapidly growing her skills as a doctor and an apothecary. As soon as Marion had started to draw more people to her banner, Alice's skills began to come into high demand. At first Alice completely memorized every scrape of medical information on Luke's computer and every last bit that he had drifting around in his head. Alice made sure to write everything down in the common language, English no Latin or Greek here. She would then give this information to Pollyanna who had set up a print shop in town and was printing books using a press that she designed herself. It was based on an idea that Luke had given her, based on what her could remember about the Guttenberg press. She knew that at first there would be no market for these, but once more people had learned to read then she would be ready. In addition to Alice's books, Pollyanna printed every book from Luke's computer. She also printed books that were designed to help people learn how to read. One of the other things that she printed was maps of the area so that Marion's troops would know where to go and how long it would take to get there. Luke had taught everyone the metric system being as that was what he was most comfortable with. Being that he had been an engineer that had worked all over the world, Luke used the metric system so that there would be no screw ups in specs. Pollyanna also helped Luke in engineering his new machines. Luke was working on everything from lathes to mills for machining from powered looms to sewing machines for textiles. One other big thing happened to Pollyanna, she got pregnant and Matt was going to be a dad. When Pollyanna gave everyone the news, the group erupted in celebration. They all loved Pollyanna and Matt. After Gabriel had set up out the best look-out post surrounding the villages, everyone took their turns at standing look out. One of the things that Luke had already made was a telegraph and every post was equipped with one. This way the lookout could immediately warn everyone else if enemy troops were sighted. When Gabriel wasn't standing guard, she was Marion's personal bodyguard; a duty which Gabriel took dead serious. After everything that Marion had done for her, Gabriel would gladly give her life to make sure that Marion survived and stayed out of Cecilia's grasp. With everything that Marion was doing, Gabriel had her hands full but so was the life of the personal bodyguard of a very capable ruler. Just after the group had settled down in the village, Robin died. He had never fully recovered from his earlier brush with death either physically or mentally. His death had hit Alice hard for she had poured her soul into keeping helping Robin recover. “Alice” Luke quietly said to her just after they buried him “The first rule of being a doctor is that you Will Not win every battle. Some people will be too badly injured physically; or in their mind they are already dead. That's not to say that you shouldn't try to save everyone because you have amazing skill but always remember that you're not God.” “I know Luke, but that kid was so innocent. I mean what did he do to anyone? Why did he have to die when there are plenty of evil people that could have taken his place?” “Alice, that is a question that humans have been wrestling with since time began and there's no good answer. The religious would say well that's just God's plan, but I have never found that line to be of any comfort. You just have to accept it and move on. Learn everything you can from each case and that way if they don't make it, then at least they wouldn't have died in vain.” “I keep forgetting that you've been through all this before.” Luke nodded and put his arm around Alice as she sobbed quietly and he kept it there until she had cried herself out. He didn't even bother to say anything to her because he knew that there was nothing for him to say. After the funeral, Alice began to pour everything she had into her studies. Marion had the busiest time of everyone. She was to one that would travel to the surrounding villages to talk with the leaders about joining her. At first, nobody could even believe that she was still alive. Her next battle would almost always be about her being female and why they should follow her. A couple of things always helped her with this argument. First is that she already had a reputation for being ferocious in combat. The second was that she was nobility whether she liked it or not. The third thing was that she projected leadership like nobody else. In meetings she was the dominate personality but she wasn't domineering and she would always go out of her way to make sure that everyone had the chance to include their input and when someone made contributions to one of her plans then she would always make sure that person got credit. It took Marion almost three weeks of almost constant effort before the first village signed on with her and they were almost immediately rewarded for Marion started stopping Cecilia's tax collectors from visiting that village. As word of this spread, other villages signed on with her. Marion was also always on the lookout for new recruits for her army. Yes, she would be building it from scratch but she had the help of Gabriel and especially Luke. Luke could get the most thick-headed person to follow orders within an hour or so with very little effort on his part. The army that they were starting to build would be the most professional one since the ancient Romans. Marion knew that for a while she wouldn't be able to compete with her sister based on numbers so she would have to make up the difference with quality. She was able to get one of the villages to agree to try Luke's mechanical reapers saying that if the results didn't live up to her promises then she would make the difference up herself. Once Luke had finished the first field, the villagers were amazed for they had no idea just how must grain they lost every year. By having Luke harvest the field, the village got almost a quarter more grain than they would have gotten themselves. Within days, every other farmer in the area was wanting Luke to harvest their fields too. Instead, Luke taught some of the farmers how to use his reapers and subcontracted them to do the harvest. Luke had enough on his plate the way it was and he also wanted to make sure that the locals learned how to do these things for themselves. In Marion's personal life, she was just as busy. Her pregnancy was starting to show and one of the things that Luke liked to do was to play his music for the kid. He would place his old cell phone on Marion's stomach and play different music for the kid. He just loved the feeling of the kid kicking. Even before Marion gave birth, her house got another person to live in it for Gabriel moved in with her and Luke. At first it was just Gabriel being dead serious about protecting Marion, but as time went on it became more than that. Everyone realized that Gabriel was falling in love with Marion. At first Gabriel was deeply ashamed of her love for Marion and by extension Luke. This feeling continued until a rainy day when all three were home. “Gabriel?” asked Marion and Luke “Can the three of us talk please?” “Yes” replied Gabriel who was so nervous that she thought that she might pee at any moment. “Gabriel” started Luke “We know that you have fallen in love with Marion and after talking with Marion we have no problem with this. After all you have no control with who you love and we don't believe that anyone can tell you who you can love and who you can't. Back in my time we had plenty on men and woman who were homosexual or bisexual. F Y I, bisexuals love both men and woman. There were plenty in my time who didn't like this fact but to repress this fundamental human fact is exceptionally cruel.” “Gabriel” started Marion “I am fine with you loving me and being completely honest with you, I find myself falling in love with you too. I just ask you to remember that Luke is and will always be my primary love but he has agreed to share” giving Luke a funny look “a bit too eagerly now that I think about it.” Luke just gave have a shit eating smile and Marion gave him a playful punch. “So, both of you are fine with this?” asked Gabriel as if she was reaching for some distant hope that she was too afraid that she would never reach. Luke and Marion smiled at her. “Yes, we are fine and to prove it to you…” Marion took Gabriel by the hand and lead her to her and Luke's bed. Luke whispered something to Marion and he left the room. At first Gabriel was worried about Luke until Marion explained that Luke was giving them some privacy for their first time and he was going to work in the shop. Marion took the lead when she pulled Gabriel in for a deep kiss. At first Gabriel was so nervous that she could barely participate. Her upbringing was keeping her back for she was about to partake in one of the vilest sins, but Marion was patent with her. After a few passion-loaded kisses from Marion, Gabriel started to loosen up and she started returning them. Marion then started to run her hands up and down Gabriel's body with Gabriel quickly replying in kind. As Gabriel's hand ran across Marion's swollen stomach, the baby kicked and the girls giggled. As their hands reached each other's pussies Gabriel was now completely involved and couldn't have stopped if she wanted to. Both of them were wearing pants and shirts. By this time all the woman in Marion's party had given up on dresses. Gabriel made quick work of untying Marion's pants while Marion ran her hands up under Gabriel's shirt, pushing it up as she went. As Marion's pants fell away, Marion pushed Gabriel's shirt over her head. Marion then untied Gabriel's pants as Gabriel removed Marion's shirt slowly. After the two of them were naked, they embraced each other. It was then that Marion realized that Gabriel was softly crying and Marion was instantly concerned, ‘had she gone too far, too fast.' She didn't need to worry though “Marion, my love” Gabriel started when she noticed Marion's concern “All my life I have known that I was different but could never figure out why. I was always more interested in spying on the other girls then I was in spying on the boys. I never told anyone because I knew how people would react and then I met you though Luke. You took me under your wing, protected me, and helped me grow to heights which I never knew existed. Then you and Luke took me to bed with you. That was until now the best night of my life and if I had died, I would have been happy. Afterwards though was so awkward; at first, I thought you were just ignoring me like my parents did after they made love. Then I began to fear that you hated me for it didn't seem that you wanted to be with me anymore and that hurt so bad.” By this point Marion was in tears. Part of this was simply her hormones but most of it was caused by Gabriel pouring her heart out. “Gabriel, to be honest with you, I never thought about you sexually until just a few days ago even after that time with Luke. For back then I was just trying to help one of my best friends get through a very difficult time in her life. I did notice that you were more distant toward me after and I thought that I had offended you in some way. Then you moved in with us. At first you were just a loyal guard who was serious about her duty, but then Luke noticed that your eyes seemed to be full of pain whenever you saw me, especially when I was undressed. The reason that Luke kicked you out of our house the other night was so that we could talk about you. He's concerned about you, Gabriel. When he first suggested that you might be in love with me, I was taken back to put it mildly. However, the more I thought about it the more I thought about that night with the three of us and I realized that was when the awkwardness really started. Then I truly examined that night and every night after and I realized that Luke was right. At first, I was embarrassed and angry. I mean we have always been told that homosexuality was evil. Then I started to wonder how something so beautiful and pure as what we shared that night could possibly be evil. After I couldn't find an answer for that question, I realized that the reason that I couldn't find the answer was that I had fallen in love with you too.” By now both girls were in tears. They had opened their hearts to each other and had been accepted by the other. “But Marion, what about Luke? About everyone else?” “What about Luke? I still love him and he loves me. As you know, he knows all about us and He was the one who started me on my road to discovering myself. If anything, I love him more now than I did before. Just know that he has already stated that he is strictly a one woman man and that he felt terrible after he made you a woman. It actually took me a while to convince him that he didn't do anything wrong and I'm okay with it. I still think he feels guilty once in a while though As for everyone else, if they don't like the facts then they can choke on it. Luke does suggest that we keep us to ourselves for we are trying to lead a revolution in which everyone will be equal in the eyes of the law. Everyone will be free to be themselves. Everyone will have the freedom to succeed or fail and whatever they do will be up to them.” “Remind me to give Luke a thank you.” Marion smiled at this “He's already said that you being happy and able to thrive will be thanks enough.” With that Marion gently pulled Gabriel to lay with her in bed. What followed was something that could only be described as pure love. Marion started by softy kissing every square centimeter of skin on Gabriel's face and neck. As Marion made her way down Gabriel's neck, Gabriel released her first moan of the night. Marion then made her way down to Gabriel's tit. Gabriel wasn't as gifted in the tit department as Marion, but that was okay because Gabriel having smaller tits made it easier for her to use her bow. Marion the started sucking on one of Gabriel's nipples while foundling the other. This gave Gabriel her first orgasm for the night. Gabriel had another orgasm before Marion moved on. Down across Gabriel's tight strong stomach Marion kissed and caressed. Finally, Marion reached Gabriel's bush. It was the same chestnut color as her hair and while sparse was curly and soft. Marion didn't spend too much time here before she started down Gabriel's legs, much to Gabriel's disappointment. After working on both of Gabriel's long, strong legs; Marion returned to Gabriel's flower. This time Marion was looking for nectar and she found it by the bucket full. As fast as Marion could lap it up Gabriel produced more. Marion then gave up trying to lick her lover clean and sent right to the source. She locked her mouth over Gabriel's fuck hole and used her tongue to fuck her. Marion found a rough patch inside Gabriel that when licked drove Gabriel crazy, in fact it was all that Marion could do to hold Gabriel down. As Marion's tongue found her special place, lights started flashing in Gabriel's eyes. She didn't know what was happening to her and really didn't care for this was far better than anything she had ever experienced before. Things hit a crescendo when Gabriel started shaking violently and flooding Marion's mouth with nectar. Marion almost couldn't keep up but somehow managed to keep everything in her mouth. Marion then stopped to give Gabriel some time to recover. She gently moved up to lay next to Gabriel. As Marion lay on her back, Gabriel moved around to where her head was lying on Marion's shoulder and her long hair was spread across Marion's upper body. At this moment, Marion knew why Luke always loved when they did this for, she found that there didn't seem to be any other way to show that two people loved each other more. Marion then made sure that all the hair was out of Gabriel's face and then she drew the blanket over them and joined Gabriel in sleepy land. Some hours later Marion didn't know when, she was awakened by movement under the cover. At first, she was disoriented, someone was gently sucking on her right nipple. Marion moved the cover and by the light of the moon could see a head covered in chestnut hair whose lips were latched on to her nipple. The realization came to Marion of what was going on and she put her hand on that head and gently stroked the hair. Gabriel was startled by this but recovered quickly when Marion started stroking her hair. Gabriel was determined to return Marion's love with interest. She moved up to Marion's face and their eyes locked. Neither of them could seem to break contact for it was like there was some spell over them. They didn't know how much time pasted but Gabriel slowly started kissing Marion's neck while caressing Marion's face. This time it was Marion who was cumming buckets for to her this was almost a dream because she had never fully woken up. Eventually Gabriel moved south back down to Marion's sensitive tits. Marion was a bit larger and with her pregnancy was getting bigger and more sensitive. Gabriel didn't spend too much time here for she wanted to make sure that Marion was still conscious when she went down on her and so far, Gabriel had given Marion two powerful orgasms. Gabriel worked her way over Marion's slightly swollen belly tracing every stretch line as she did. She then made her way down to Marion's golden bush. Since she began spending time with Luke; Marion now kept her bush neatly trimmed so that Luke wouldn't get hair in his mouth, plus it gave her more skin to skin contact when Luke went down on her. Now it was Gabriel's turn to enjoy. By this time Marion was talking in moans and gasp and not saying anything. When Gabriel spread Marion's pussy lips and started to lick; Marion saw the stars in her eyes. The more Gabriel licked the more intense the starlight became. Those stars exploded the second that Gabriel put her tongue up inside Marion and started licking her G-spot. Since Gabriel had Marion's legs propped up on her shoulder's Marion's orgasm was beyond intense. She screamed out into the night at the top of her lungs. She screamed until there was no air left to scream out and then Marion collapsed. Every muscle went to jelly and every cell felt like it weighed a ton. She couldn't even pull the blanket over her before she passed out. Gabriel smiled, seeing this and pulled the blanket over them and fell back asleep. Chapter 28. Life after this got better for Marion and the rest of the group. Cecilia's troops wouldn't even come out of the castle anymore and Marion was making rapid progress in turning the entire area against her. Luke was making amazing progress in forming the army. He assigned one unit to learn under Pollyanna and one to learn under Matt who had recovered. If the recruits thought that winter would slow things down, then they were mistaken. If anything, Luke made them train harder for by now they had excellent intelligence on what Cecilia was up to and they knew that she had hired a professional general to rebuild her army and he had brought units with him from Europe. Marion always made sure that her men and woman were paid on time and their pay came directly from her coffers and not from the officers. This was something that Luke had insisted on; the new army would be government troops, G I as he called them, and not independent contractors. With Marion now in control of the countryside, she instituted her own taxes. They were much lower than Cecilia's and with the extra grain that had been taken in, the people could easily pay it and were glad to for Marion was a much better ruler then Cecilia ever was and they knew that if Marion lost the war then their lots would get much worse. On Christmas day 1065 several big things happened for Marion and her followers. First was that Luke got his steam engine up and running. Now he could make weapons far faster than before and much more advanced weapons. In fact, Gabriel was the first one to receive them. Luke gave her a pair of six shot revolvers and a bolt action repeating rifle that was based on the German Mauser rifle. Granted it was slower to shoot then if he had based it on the Lee Enfield; it was more rugged. Gabriel also got a small unit of bodyguards to help protect Marion; four women and four men and within a week they were equipped just like Gabriel. Luke gave Pollyanna a set of surveying tools that she instantly fell in love with. Measuring distances was always a pain but now she could do her work much faster. Alice got a surgeon's tool set. Luke had scrounged high and low to find enough of the right metals to make the tools but he just managed. Alice of course knew what Luke was doing for her because he had measured her hands so that he could make the tools so that they would fit her properly. Matt had also got a set of guns but his were a bit larger than the ones that Luke had made for the woman. The caliper was the same of course but the rifle stock was a bit longer and his pistol grips were a bit larger. Luke had done this so that Matt could use them more comfortably. The other big thing that happened was much more personal for Marion. That morning, before they left the house, Luke gave her a diamond ring and asked her to marry him. Of course, she said yes and everyone's reaction was “Well it's about time” Luke had gotten the diamond while he was in one of the port towns looking for salt so they could preserve meat for the winter. Luke had met a gem dealer and after much bargaining, which saw Luke trade in the loupe that he had made, he got several large rough diamonds and a couple of smaller ones. He also got some sapphires and a ruby. Luke had then taken those rough gems and cut and polished them to perfection. The biggest diamond got a solitaire cut and this truly brought out the fire in it. Luke then made a pair of rings out of gold. The diamonds were held in by six prongs that Luke had carefully shaped like tulips and the small ones down the sides were held in by a V shaped groove that Luke had formed. Luke took the sapphire and a couple of other small diamond pieces and made a necklace for Marion. He took the Ruby and made a necklace for Gabriel. After Marion and Gabriel's first night together, the three of them slept together every night. That had happened in November and now Gabriel was wondering if she too was pregnant. If she was then so be it for, she had always wanted to be a mother. Everywhere Marion went her ring caught everyone's attention. Nobody had ever seen jewelry like hers. The diamond shined and shimmered in the sunlight and the sapphire necklace was just breathtaking. Luke thought that Marion wearing jewelry was like guiding a lily but seeing her wearing the pieces that he made was unlike any other experience he had ever had. Gabriel loved her necklace too but refused to wear it for the most part so that she wouldn't lose it in battle. She did wear it around the house and on formal occasions. After Christmas, things started to get extremely hectic for Marion and her group. For one she was really starting to have a hard time moving around due to her growing belly. One of the local midwives how had joined with Alice estimated that Marion had about six weeks to go. Alice, like the rest of the group had taken on followers of her own, only her followers were interested in medicine. So far, she had gotten a herb specialist, a couple of midwives, and two men. These men were not like most of the other men in that they considered woman equal and they would be more than happy to treat anyone who might need their assistance. In fact, Alice had enough people around her that she asked Pollyanna to design a hospital for a base. Pollyanna rapidly agreed and got to work. Another reason that things were hectic was that Marion had declared a total blockade of the city of York. The blockade wouldn't be lifted until Cecilia's army laid down their arms and Cecilia left. Marion was demanding that Cecilia not only leave York, but leave the British islands as well. At first Marion had a hard time enforcing the blockade but as more and more troops came out of Luke's training program this became easier. With the first snowfall, Luke introduced something that the world had never seen before, winter camouflage. With the padded jackets and pants that he had developed, Marion's troops could move very quickly and stay hidden until it was time to strike. Not only that but Luke's gun making was gathering momentum. He was having a problem securing a steady supply of potassium nitrate and iron but he had enough to manage. He designed the firearms to use black power at first because it was the easiest to manufacture. Marion and Luke were married on New Year's Day by one of the local priests. He wasn't all that happy about Marion already being pregnant but he was far from stupid and was able to see the reality in front of him. These two people loved each other with all their being. Not only that but he had been one of the early victims of Cecilia's extortion and he saw marrying Luke and Marion as a way of poking Cecilia in the eye. Within a week, Pollyanna and Matt were married as well. In mid-January news came in of Edward's death. Marion and her immediate group already knew that this was going to happen thanks to Luke so they didn't react at all to the news. They also knew that the new king would have his hands full with the threat from the Duke of Normandy so Marion knew that the only threat they would be facing for a while was from Cecilia. By the end of February Marion had fifteen hundred troops at her disposal. A thousand were infantry, four hundred were cavalry and the last hundred were artillery. In addition, Pollyanna had fifty combat engineers under her command and Alice had a medical unit with four doctors besides herself, twelve nurses, and thirty others. A week before the end of February though Marion's life made a drastic turn when she became a mother. It was about two in the morning when after fourteen hours in labor, Marion gave birth to a beautiful baby girl which Marion promptly named Mackenzie MacDougall which brought tears to Luke's eyes. Marion knew for all that he loved her, that he still missed his family terribly. Marion had caught him numerous times just sitting in front of his computer looking at pictures of his sister Mackenzie and her family, pictures of his former coworkers who were like family to him, and pictures of his parents. Thankfully Marion's pregnancy had been uneventful for the most part and their child was healthy. Chapter 29. Marion defeats Cecilia; but at what cost? As her general and his troops settled in for the winter, Cecilia started getting very disturbing reports from some of the villages. Marion was starting to really make herself a pain in the ass. Villages were declaring their allegiance to Marion and she was gathering troops around her. General Kleist of course wasn't worried, after all what could a woman rebel and a few villages do to him. The worst bit of news for Cecilia came in just after Christmas and was that Marion appeared to be pregnant. The first time Cecilia heard this; she went started doing a pretty good impression of a super volcano erupting. Even General Kleist was fearful of her for Cecilia had finally shed the last of her nice person persona and was now easier to equate to the devil's evil twin then a person. Any empathy that she might have still had evaporated. After a few days and Cecilia had calmed down a little, Kleist asked her about it, “That fucking whore got herself knocked up by the man that I deserve. He was supposed to be mine; do you understand; Mine and she stole him.” She shrieked “So general when the fuck are you going to get your men into the field?” “Milady it be the middle of...” Cecilia cut him off “Middle of fucking winter my fucking ass!! That cunt has her army in the field and now I have just been informed that she is demanding that I leave not only England, but the British islands all together!” “Milady, please clam down. This town is well stocked with food and water. The army is ready to go, but to fight in the winter is begging for disaster. Just give me until spring then I will scatter that cunt's forces and bring you Luke.” “See that you bring me Marion's head on a pike as well general or it will be your head on a pike. Now get out!” The general began to ride his troops hard in focusing on their training. He also began to make a contingency plan for if Marion somehow defeated him in battle. He decided that if that happened, he would take every man left in his army, race for the coast, and get out of England. He knew of Cecilia's wide range network so he would have to most likely head to the port of London to make his escape. A new problem made itself known in mid-January. The king of England had died and the throne was passed to Herold Godwinson just as Luke had told Marion's group. Cecilia of course didn't know this and sent envoys to meet with the new king and to pledge her allegiance. She couldn't go herself because she had her hands full with Marion. The only bit of good news was in early February when Cecilia found out that she was pregnant, but by this time Kleist didn't care anymore. He couldn't stand Cecilia and only stayed around so that he might still collect his bonus for getting rid of Marion. There was this too; Marion's troops seemed to be in possession of some new type of weapon. One that made thunder when they were used. Kleist didn't put too much stock in these reports but with so many coming in he figured that he just had to get a look for himself. He couldn't see any way in which thunder weapons could affect his heavily armored knights and highly disciplined infantry. With the end of February more bad news came in. Marion had given birth to a healthy baby girl and had married Luke. If this wasn't bad enough for Cecilia then the news that Marion's army was almost as large as hers was worse. By this time though Cecilia knew where Marion's main base was. The arrogant bitch had the nerve to set herself up one of the villages that Cecilia had depopulated and forced into York so she could keep an eye on them. Cecilia then got news that she would most likely get no help from King Herold for he was gathering men on the Isle of Wight to face the Norman threat. Nobody knew when the Normans would attack but it seemed like that attack could come at any time. As each day went by, Cecilia became more and more anxious for it was becoming increasingly obvious that waiting to rebuild the army hadn't been the right call. Marion was gaining strength by the day and she was becoming increasingly brazen for she was raiding almost right up to York's walls. These raids were becoming more effective as time went on. On 1 March 1066 Cecilia had enough. She ordered General Kleist and the entire army into the field with strict orders the either succeed or die. To make sure that these orders were followed Cecilia sent a number of her personal henchmen along with the army. It took the general and his officers almost three days to get the troops ready and march them out of town. Their objective was the village that Marion had taken over. Kleist estimated that the march would take about two days and then they would burn the village to the ground and leave no survivors. They would then go on to the other villages and raze them as well. As the general was leaving the city gates, he was shocked beyond belief to be joined by Cecilia and her personal guard. “If you lose general, then Marion will make sure that I die. If I am to die then I will die in battle.” The general could barely hide his disgust for Cecilia's guards were the worst examples of humanity. In addition, woman didn't belong on the battlefield and the general was going to prove that. As Cecilia rode out with him, the general was getting another idea. During the battle, he would make sure that Cecilia died and he would take over all of her lands. The first day out of town was pretty routine. The army made almost five miles the first day. They would have made many more but the roads were in terrible shape and the bridges had been destroyed. They also knew that Marion's troops knew where they were at for they could see scouts in the distance. That evening they made camp around the remains of an abandoned village. Form the looks of things, the village had very recently been abandoned and destroyed. That night, the general's officers set a heavy guard around the camp. Cecilia's nerves were trying to get the better of her but she was so far able to fight it. After all the general seemed calm and she was better than any man. The next morning the whole army knew that it was in trouble for every one of their night guards were dead. This made everyone more than a bit nervous for nobody heard a thing the night before and every one of the guards had their throats slit. The army got going within an hour of sunrise. All over there was signs of Marion's army. Men and woman lurked in the shadows of the army. If Cecilia's cavalry charged then the troops lurking disappeared without a trace. As Cecilia's army came to within a few miles of their goal, they stumbled onto Marion's army. Chapter 30. On 1 March, Marion received word that Cecilia was marching her army out of town. Marion had gotten word so fast because she had been able to slip spies into York and they were all equipped with advanced signaling equipment. They all had a set of flags and they all knew the code for sending messages. They would sneak up to a high place and signal their partners outside the wall. That partner would then send the message via telegraph back to Marion's headquarters. This was another one of the many advances that Luke had introduced into the army. It had been a serious stretch and was expensive as hell but he managed to find enough copper to make enough cable to reach York. When she heard the news, Marion wasn't worried though for she and her group of advisers had been discussing this for months. They had all traveled the entire area and studied the land. They knew where it would be to their advantage to fight and where not to. They had informed all the villages that were in the likely paths that when Cecilia's army started their march that they would need to evacuate or likely be killed. When Cecilia's army finally came out of the gates, Marion's scouts were watching and with the spy glasses that Luke had made could count the army as they came out of the gates. They even saw that Cecilia herself was with the army. All this was reported along with the army's path. Marion ordered that all villages along that route were to be immediately evacuated and burned. Her cavalry units helped the villagers get out of harm's way and even used their horses to pull wagons loaded with the villager's possessions. She didn't want to leave anything for Cecilia's army to use. Luke called this tactic scored earth and because Marion had helped the villagers get out of the way, they complied with her order. All through the day Cecilia's army was watched closely. The scouts had orders to let themselves be seen but only from a distance. They were not under any circumstances to get close enough to even remotely endanger themselves. That evening, Cecilia's army camped in one of the burnt-out villages and the next phase of Marion's plan was put into operation. It was time for more psy-ops. Gabriel and Pollyanna would move around the enemy camp at night and kill all the guards. If they could do so without being seen they would also leave signs in the camp itself that they were there. That night Gabriel and Pollyanna struck. The enemy had many more guards than they had figured on but the duo was still able to wipe out all the guards. Problem was that taking out all the guards took so long that they didn't have time to enter the camp safely. They reported this failure to Marion but she wasn't disturbed in the slightest. She privately figured that their plan was a bit too reckless anyway. Granted it would have been nice to leave signs inside the camp it just wasn't worth the risk to two of Marion's closest friends. As soon as they reported in, Marion ordered them to get a nap. The battle would begin in a few hours and those two would need to be at their best for Gabriel was the leader of Marion's bodyguards and Pollyanna's engineers would play a critical role in Marion's plans. To be continued in part 7, Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

In this episode with Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, you'll get to explore how hidden vision problems often masquerade as dyslexia, ADD, or ADHD—and how his vision therapy retrains the eye-brain connection to transform reading, focus, coordination, and even recovery from concussions. You'll also discover how his testing and training methods, from intensives to at-home programs, not only restore confidence in struggling readers like my wife Jessa but also sharpen performance for athletes and optimizers seeking a competitive edge. Dr. Bryce Appelbaum is a board-certified neuro-optometrist and recognized leader in vision therapy, specializing in retraining the eye-brain connection to unlock human potential. Through his practice, MyVisionFirst (you can use code BGL to save 10% off selected products), and his groundbreaking online program ScreenFit (you can use code BGL to save $200), he helps patients overcome post-concussion visual challenges, developmental delays tied to dyslexia and ADHD, and the visual stress created by modern screen habits. His work goes beyond restoring function—he equips individuals with the visual tools to read, learn, and focus with confidence. Dr. Appelbaum has also become a sought-after expert in performance vision training, working with hundreds of professional and Olympic athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and more. From golfers, tennis players, and race car drivers to Olympic fencers, swimmers, and archers, he has helped transform raw talent into elite performance by enhancing reaction time, depth perception, and visual coordination. He even consults with teams on draft and free-agent decisions by evaluating athletes’ visual potential. Featured in The New York Post, The New York Times Magazine, and on CBS, NBC, and MindBodyGreen, Dr. Appelbaumwas named the 2022 Future of Health Award recipient at the Mindshare Leadership Summit. Tune in to discover how vision could be the missing link to unlocking your true potential—in learning, healing, and peak performance. Discount Codes:

In this episode, Lori Clemmons shares her journey from chronic illness to becoming a life coach specializing in helping others with chronic pain. She discusses the impact of chronic pain on daily life, the importance of understanding the limbic system, and how self-compassion plays a crucial role in healing. Lori emphasizes the significance of finding joy and relaxation as part of recovery and explains the concept of neural retraining. She provides insights into recognizing signs of limbic system overdrive and offers practical advice for those feeling overwhelmed by their symptoms. The conversation concludes with a focus on taking small steps towards healing and the power of visualization.You can find Lori @:https://loriclemmons.com https://loriclemmons.com/resourceshttps://www.youtube.com/@LoriClemmonshttps://rewireyourwellness.com/You can find Leigh @:Leigh's website - ⁠https://www.bodychek.co.uk/⁠Chronic Pain Breakthrough Blueprint - ⁠https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/⁠Leigh's courses:StickAbility - ⁠https://stickabilitycourse.com/⁠Mastering Client Transformation (professional course) - ⁠https://www.functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/mastering-client-transformation/⁠

Vocational assessments can shape spousal support and earning-capacity debates. Rhonda and Dan unpack what credible reports look like, how to prepare, and how to challenge numbers that don't match reality. What you'll learn in this episode: ✨ Purpose & scope: Employability, realistic job options, training needs, and reasonable earnings. ✨ Data that matters: Social Security earnings, medical narratives, education, work history, and daily commitments.  ✨ Prep moves: What to bring, how to show up, and how to keep the interview factual and respectful.  ✨ Quality standards: Current labor data, paid databases, and transparent methodology—not a Google job search.  ✨ Retraining reality: Timelines (PT vs. FT), tuition costs, entry pay, and wage progression. ✨ After the report: Red flags to spot and when to seek a second opinion. 

Become a Dream Life Coach - www.DeniseWalsh.com Join the FREE Fb group -   / dreamlifecoach  Denise is a Clinical Psychologist turned Dream Life Coach and knows that she is making more of an impact now, as an online life and business coach than she did in the corporate world.She has a 12 week overcoming self-sabotage course that helps clients align their Dream Life Pathway - gain clarity for what they want next, clear the cobwebs of the heart, and create the daily habits that will lead them to success. As we retrain your subconscious brain and reprogram limiting beliefs, the changes you experience in 90 day u turn will support you (and your family) for years to come. Join the next round of 90 Day U Turn - www.90DayUTurn.comSupport the showJoin our free FB Group Here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/dreamlifecoach www.DeniseWalsh.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thedenisewalsh Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/thedenisewalsh/

Homesteading isn't just about raising your own food— it's about building a life where relationships, rhythms, and real community come first.  In this conversation with RuthAnn, we dig into everything from screen-free parenting to the myth of “not enough time,” the health wake-up call that reshaped her family's lifestyle, and the true meaning of the village for moms today.  If you've ever wondered how to slow down and find joy in the ordinary while strengthening your home, join us for this conversation! In this episode, we cover: Why homesteading is about more than food on the table— prioritizing relationships make it matter Lessons carried from an Old Order Mennonite childhood into today's homemaking rhythms The childhood health scare that flipped everything and sent RuthAnn's family back to homemade, nourishing food How food choices connect to kids' behavior, focus, and overall peace in the home The real thief of time in modern motherhood and how to reclaim creativity from screen addiction Why RuthAnn keeps her kids off screens and trusts they'll thrive in the skills they need when the time comes Retraining our brains to find joy in “ordinary” tasks like bread baking, gardening, and family meals The myths of “the village” and what young moms are missing when social media becomes their community Why younger moms often don't trust older moms these days and how smaller families have broken the natural overlap of generations in parenting A better way for older moms to support the next generation and be “the village”: listening first, then guiding with wisdom and understanding The true heart of homesteading: slower rhythms, stronger families, and intentional time together View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this show possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED Pre-order RuthAnn's book, The Heart of the Homestead Join my FREE masterclass to learn my 4-step framework for making money on YouTube Master the rhythm of sourdough with confidence in my Simple Sourdough course Gain the sewing knowledge and skills every homemaker needs in my Simple Sewing series Turn your content creation dreams into a profitable business with my YouTube Success Academy Keep all my favorite sourdough recipes at your fingertips in my Daily Sourdough cookbook CONNECT RuthAnn of Homesteading with the Zimmermans | Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest Do you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast?  A guest you'd like me to interview?  Submit your questions and ideas here: bit.ly/SFLquestions.

I'm heading to Florida this week for the Divine Design Homebirth Retreat  so I'm uploading a training I recorded for inside of my group coaching program, Peaceful Homebirth Collective, as a part of their workshop and homework to do this week. You too can download the Workbook and do the homework with this episode: 1. Download the Workbook Here- https://peacefulhomebirth.thrivecart.com/findjoy/ 2. Join PHC for a 7 Day Free trial and submit your homework - peacefulhomebirth.com/collective   Sponsors- Araza: Find Your Shade Here Click to get 15% off & use code PEACEFULHOMEBIRTH Create a free account on Fullscript: Get 10% Off All High Quality Supplements Everyday Dose Mushroom Coffee: https://www.everydaydose.com/ALYMCCLAIN   Connect with Aly: IG- @peacefulhomebirth FB Group- www.facebook.com/groups/peacefulhomebirth Grab your Prenatal Wellness Protocol

Send us a textIn this episode of the Relaxing To Love podcast, Teal Riege explores the reasons why emotionally healthy men may initially feel boring compared to the excitement of emotionally unavailable partners. She discusses the impact of nervous system imprinting on attraction, the difference between trauma bonding and real connection, and how to retrain oneself to embrace healthy love. Teal emphasizes the importance of recognizing emotional safety and building a secure foundation for relationships, encouraging listeners to reflect on their attachment styles and patterns in love.Takeaways:Emotionally healthy men can feel boring due to past trauma.Nervous system imprinting affects our attraction to partners.Stability in relationships may feel less exciting than chaos.Recognizing emotional safety is crucial for healthy connections.Trauma bonding creates a cycle of craving chaos and drama.True connection is calm and emotionally nourishing.Craving excitement can indicate an unhealthy attachment style.Retraining your nervous system can help embrace healthy love.Building attraction takes time and emotional safety.You are not broken; healing is a process.Schedule Your 30-Minute Relationship Audit Today: https://calendly.com/tealeriege/auditFollow Teal on Insta Here:https://www.instagram.com/tealelisabeth_/Download Teal's Relax into Love Guided Meditations here: https://www.tealelisabeth.com/meditationsJump into the Love Life Accelerator Here:https://www.tealelisabeth.com/accelerator Learn more about her Soul Rebirth Course here: https://www.tealelisabeth.com/soul-rebirthLearn more about her Sacred Union Course here:https://www.tealelisabeth.com/sacred-unionEmail Teal anytime here: teal@relax-into-love.comSupport the show

Retraining Mules To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1002/29

Hey team! My guest this week is Dr. Ute Liersch, a Chartered Counselling and Coaching Psychologist with over a decade of clinical experience and author of A Minimalist's Guide to Becoming Resilient. Dr. Ute specializes in helping adults navigate anxiety, ADHD, and burnout. Her therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing from modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and mindfulness-based therapies. Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Ute is an associate lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London, and holds a Fellowship in Higher Education. In our conversation, we explore the nervous system beyond the textbook fight-flight-freeze model, including how our nervous system shapes our mood, motivation, and even the way we see the world. Dr. Ute explains why so many of us with ADHD find that our sympathetic nervous system is permanently on edge and how we can work on rewiring that response. We also talk about perfectionism, attention types, and what resilience looks like in real life, breaking it down into actionable steps that fit into our schedules and ADHD brains. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at http://hackingyouradhd.com/240 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD This Episode's Top Tips 1. Our parasympathetic nervous system can get stuck in a permanent state of “go time.” To help move our PNS back to a relaxed state, Dr. Ute suggests progressive muscle relaxation, where you are tensing and then releasing muscle groups one at a time so you can physically feel the shift from tension to ease. 2. Many of us have internalized the idea that there's something fundamentally wrong with the way we work, think, or exist. Dr. Ute suggests replacing this assumption of personal defect with curiosity: “If I weren't wrong, what would I need to feel safe?” This slight shift can open up room to problem-solve and tailor strategies to your actual needs. 3. We often talk about resilience like it's a fixed trait—you either “have it” or you don't. But Dr. Ute points out that resilience is about what you do, not what you are. It's built in small, repeatable actions that teach your nervous system and your mind how to recover from stressors. Resilience isn't about holding it together forever; it's about giving yourself enough space and recovery so you can keep going when you need it the most.

It's … Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating economic numbers from the news. On today's episode: Job retraining boosts mental health (with more mixed results for romance); the complex picture behind why dinner reservations are down in DC; and the trading platform Robinhood gets into the sports definitely-not-betting game. Related episodes: The cautionary tale of a recovering day trading addict The nepo baby premium, frothing markets, and Apple vs. Apples For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.  Fact-checking by Cooper Katz McKim and Corey Bridges. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ever find yourself trapped in a cycle of obsessing over every twinge, googling symptoms endlessly, or talking about your pain nonstop? That mental fixation isn't just a reaction to your chronic pain and illness—it might actually be the force keeping it alive.In this transformative episode, we unveil our powerful "Go From T to S" brain retraining technique for breaking free from chronic pain and illness patterns. This simple yet profound approach helps you identify when you're feeding symptom pathways through common behaviours (the T's): Trying to fix it, Thinking about it too much, Testing it constantly, and Talking about it excessively. We then guide you through shifting to healing actions (the S's): Starving the pathway of attention, Shifting to safety signals, Showing your body it's healthy, practicing Somatic focus appropriately, and Sticking to your game plan.Tanner shares his personal journey from being bedridden with debilitating pain to experiencing his first breakthrough moment of genuine indifference toward symptoms during his honeymoon. He describes how cultivating this indifference wasn't about forced positive thinking, but about consistently redirecting his attention away from fear-based responses toward safety and regulation. Through concrete examples and practical strategies, we demonstrate how this technique helps your brain finally "forget" about chronic pain and illness by creating new, healthier neural pathways.Whether you're struggling with chronic pain, fatigue, fibromyalgia, IBS, or anxiety symptoms, this episode offers a missing piece that could transform your healing journey. The goal isn't to mask or ignore your symptoms, but to change your brain's relationship with them at a fundamental level. Check out our online course for comprehensive support in implementing these strategies into your daily life: https://www.mbodycommunity.com/Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson are therapists who treat neuroplastic pain and mind-body symptoms. They are also married! In his 20s, Tanner overcame chronic pain and a fibromyalgia diagnosis by learning his symptoms were occurring due to learned brain pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Post-healing, Tanner and Anne have dedicated their lives to developing effective treatment and education for neuroplastic pain and symptoms. Listen and learn how to assess your own chronic pain and symptoms, gain tools to retrain the brain and nervous system, and make gradual changes in your life and health! The Mind-Body Couple podcast is owned by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc. This podcast is produced by Alex Klassen, who is one of the wonderful therapists at our agency in Calgary, Alberta. https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/ Tanner, Anne, and Alex also run the MBody Community, which is an in-depth online course that provides step-by-step guidance for assessing, treating, and resolving mind-body pain and symptoms. https://www.mbodycommunity.com Also check out Tanner's YouTube channel for more free education and practices: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fl6WaFHnh4ponuexaMbFQ And follow us for daily education posts on Instagram: @painpsychotherapy Discl...

This week, Andy and Todd welcome Sophie Keepence, AKA @Plumby.mummy. Sophie shares her story of leaving her old career behind to retrain as a plumber, the challenges around it, and juggling work and family life.

Themes: Brain Retraining, Healing from POTS, Vital-Side Programs Episode: Do you deal with chronic symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, insomnia, vertigo, dizziness, or pain? These are all very common symptoms of someone coming into Vital-Side, and it can be hard dealing with these symptoms because they can make you feel completely alone. In today's episode, Megan Roush shares her journey of being diagnosed with POTS, being told by doctors that her body would eventually adjust to her symptoms, and discovering Vital-Side which led to her recovery. Listen to this episode to hear how Megan went from being bedridden and feeling isolated to now living a full and active life, and how you can use brain retraining to heal from your chronic symptoms too.   Show Notes: - Megan's story of being diagnosed with POTS and how it affected her life - What led Megan to advocate for her recovery and discovering Vital-Side - Megan tried the Reset program and started feeling better by day three - Brain retraining can be tailored to you; even small steps can make a big difference - Rewire helped Megan heal within six weeks and she sometimes still uses it in her daily life - Megan's work as a coach with Vital-Side - There is hope, there can be healing, you don't have to feel stuck Resources: - Get more from the Vital-Side Podcast here - Email podcast@vital-side.com if you're interested in being a guest or have topic ideas - Lindsay's Instagram: @myvitalside or TikTok: @myvitalside - Visit Lindsay's Website - Click here for Lindsay's FREE Brain Retraining Guide   

  Today we talk about farm sitters, basecamp, rogue lawn mowers and more. Featured Event: SelfRelianceFestival.com Oct 4-5 Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteading Podcast Sponsor 2: StrongRootsResources.com What is a Food Forest Whisperer? Looking at places for a bath house and cabins at Basecamp 1st Airbnb guest Beans need harvesting Retraining the Boys on electric fence Duck Nests State Fair Preparations and Angrotourism Preparing for a new roof at Basecamp Mower Hijinks and repair Camper parking spot next steps Getting Fall Seedlings going Freezer Reorganization Finally in Process Frankentomato Need to harvest creek mint Watercress coming in Time to harvest Passion flower Proof that ducks are racist Holler Neighbor Dinner, schnitzel Finances - Basecamp Wishlist Idea Make it a great week! GUYS! Don't forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift! Community Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up Holler Roast Coffee Harvest Right Affiliate Link  

We like to use the word "creativity" when describing ideal traits in coffee shop staff. In some ways, this is admirable and very useful, for a lot of us though, without exploring and establishing the details behind it and how exactly it looks to be creative, we end up with a lot of confusion, inconsistencies, and dropping the ball on quality service. Do we really want baristas going rouge getting "creative" with core menu items?  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about where and how to apply creativity in the various places in the coffee shop. The goal if that it it never turns into a liability for consistency, or a word used to make up for a lack of training on a standard, but something that adds depth to the whole cafe experience Here are some related episodes to explore:  424: Developing Menu and Hospitality Guides 301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards Exceptions to the Rules: Toxic Traditions The Good and Bad of Job Descriptions KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS ARE LIVE!  Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?  Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!  Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS   HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING! If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Thank you to out sponsors! Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/   The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com    

Kristen Domke: Military Mental Health is Broken  | The Hopeaholics PodcastIn this deeply emotional and brutally honest episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, we sit down with Kristen Domke—an Air Force veteran, personal trainer, and survivor—whose life story is nothing short of extraordinary. Kristen opens up about the emotional toll of serving in the military, including multiple deployments, witnessing unimaginable trauma, surviving military sexual assault, and battling intense mental health struggles that led to multiple suicide attempts. Her story is one of heartbreak, resilience, and redemption. After years of numbing pain through alcohol, losing her identity as a military police officer, and feeling completely alone, Kristen finally reached a breaking point—and then, miraculously, a breakthrough. Through intensive treatment, therapy, a renewed connection with faith, and the support of a recovery community, Kristen found the strength to rebuild her life and start healing from the inside out. She talks candidly about how hard it was to ask for help, what recovery really means beyond just sobriety, and how fitness, faith, and setting boundaries helped her find purpose again.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover  #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #RecoveryIsPossible #Hope #wedorecover Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record', exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICS for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:02:59 - Joining the Air Force at 19 After College Struggles00:04:09 - Serving as Security for President Obama in Africa00:07:57 - Advocating for Herself in Mental Health Treatment00:09:34 - Facing Family Loss and Addiction Challenges in Ohio00:18:36 - Retraining as a Physical Therapy Assistant00:24:38 - Achieving Sobriety at Behavioral Health Facility00:27:30 - Embracing Recovery and Advocacy Through Faith00:28:44 - Finding Strength in a Supportive Faith Community00:32:08 - Working with a Direct Sponsor for Accountability00:35:58 - Processing Trauma Through EMDR Therapy00:50:43 - Turning Pain into Purpose to Help Others00:58:03 - Rediscovering the Will to Live in Recovery01:06:33 - Celebrating Four Months Sober on March 20, 202501:10:59 - Planning a New Business Venture Post-Military

You've heard the lie: "You'll do great after the military. Companies are lining up to hire vets." But what if that's exactly what's breaking us? Jason Anderson spent 20 years in the Air Force, leading international missions, and closing out his career at the Pentagon. He was ready for the civilian world, or so he thought. What followed was years of hidden anxiety, 3 a.m. panic, and strained family dynamics, all while climbing the corporate ladder. On the outside, he looked successful. Inside, he was unraveling. In this eye-opening conversation, Jason dismantles the flawed assumptions behind the military's Transition Assistance Program and reveals the hidden link between poorly executed transitions and veteran mental health crises. He introduces the Modern Military Transition Framework, an approach built by veterans, for veterans, that finally treats post-service life as a whole new operating environment, not just a career move. Whether you're still serving, just got out, or 10 years post-military and still feel like something's off, this episode is your wake-up call and your blueprint for doing it better. Timestamps (04:00) - The invisible struggle behind Jason's "successful" post-military career (07:00) - Why transition stress quietly breaks even high-performing veterans (11:00) - The lie TAP tells and how it sabotages mental health (20:15) - How Jason's modern framework flips the script on transition (38:30) - Retraining your mind for civilian life without losing who you are Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://preveteran.com/ Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

We just completed BootCamp which is 4 days of retraining reactive dogs. Maria, from Two Peaks Pet Services joined me to discuss what she saw and learned.

In this episode, I share the story of a long-time client who's done all the “right” things but still felt like something was missing. We explore the often overlooked difference between muscle activation and true coordination, and why repetition without repatterning can reinforce compensation instead of healing. Join me as I share insights on how to listen to your body, embrace the feedback it provides, and move towards a more harmonious and pain-free existence. Whether you're a professional or someone seeking to understand your own body better, this episode offers valuable perspectives on healing and growth.

In this episode of OTTB on Tap, we sit down with Shannon Riley of Infinity Sport Horse for Part 1 of a powerful two-part conversation. Based in Aiken, South Carolina, Shannon is a professional eventer, OTTB trainer, and resale specialist known for her thoughtful, honest approach to developing sporthorse prospects.Shannon shares how her early love of horses—and her first Thoroughbred—set her on a path that would eventually lead to the founding of her training and sales business. From formative experiences with mentors and milestone competitions to the devastating personal loss that pushed her to rebuild her life in Aiken, Shannon reflects on the moments that shaped her as a rider and horsewoman.She also opens up about her early struggles with imposter syndrome—something both Niamh and Emily can relate to—and the advice she'd give to anyone battling self-doubt while building a career in horses.We explore Shannon's deep connection to Off-Track Thoroughbreds: why she's drawn to retraining OTTBs, what makes them such versatile athletes, and how she evaluates prospects for resale or upper-level competition. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at how she runs Infinity Sport Horse and what green flags she looks for when selecting a Thoroughbred for sport.Whether you're a first-time OTTB owner, a resale-focused rider, or someone building a training program from the ground up, this episode offers inspiration, real talk, and actionable insight.

Themes: Guided Meditation, Fear of Change, Brain Retraining  Episode: How do you react to change? Do you fear or avoid change? In today's episode, Lindsay walks you through a meditation on why your body reacts the way it does when change occurs, and how to retrain your brain to get through the fear. Listen to this episode when you're afraid of change and need a peaceful meditation to guide you through it.  Show Notes: - Box breathing exercise - Change can lead to hyperfixation on the potential danger of the change - How the amygdala effects the limbic system when there is fear of change - An exercise to acknowledge your worries - An exercise imagining your top worry as a blue spiral - An exercise imagining a gold light to dispel that worry Resources: - Get more from the Vital-Side Podcast here - Email podcast@vital-side.com if you're interested in being a guest or have topic ideas - Check out The Release Series for more quick meditations - Lindsay's Instagram: @myvitalside or TikTok: @myvitalside - Visit Lindsay's Website - Click here for Lindsay's FREE Brain Retraining Guide 

On this episode, Dr. Hadas Ofek discusses a new, mechanism-based therapeutic approach to ease symptoms of CIPN. Using both patient-reported measures and measures of physical function, her team assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of a short sensory retraining physiotherapy treatment course for individuals experiencing CIPN.

Ever feel like you're working so hard in the saddle… but nothing's changing? In this episode of the Daily Strides Podcast for Equestrians, we're exploring the key difference between training and retraining, and why understanding this shift can unlock your next breakthrough. Whether you're working with an OTTB, returning to riding after a break, or helping your horse transition to a new job or discipline, this concept will help you see the real reason progress feels slow (or stuck). We'll cover: How to tell if you're training or retraining (for both you and your horse) Why retraining is more emotionally charged and what that means in practice The 5 signs you're stuck in a retraining loop Why unlearning is just as important as learning in your riding journey Practical ways to move forward, including how to use video and coaching to shorten your progress path This episode is your invitation to pause, reassess, and choose the right strategy, so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. What You'll Learn 

Welcome to episode 300! In this eye-opening episode, we dive into the latest cutting-edge research shaking up the wellness world. First, we explore how creatine—a supplement long known for its fitness benefits—is showing promise in combating Alzheimer's disease, potentially offering a new line of defense for cognitive decline. We also unpack emerging research linking Parkinson's disease to pesticides commonly found on golf courses, raising important questions about environmental exposure and neurodegeneration.The conversation then shifts to our latest biohacking experiments, including the use of Delta Sleep Inducing Peptide (DSIP) to improve deep sleep, the powerful ingredient paraxanthine as a cleaner caffeine alternative, and even the overlooked practice of coffee enemas for detoxification and mental clarity.The episode wraps with a deep dive into cycle syncing, a popular but often misunderstood strategy for aligning lifestyle choices with the menstrual cycle. We break down the biological reasoning behind syncing your workouts, diet, and supplements with each phase of the cycle. We separate fact from fiction, tackle common myths, and discuss both the pros—like optimized energy and hormonal harmony—and cons, including potential over-complication and the risk of becoming overly rigid.Whether you're a seasoned biohacker or just curious about the intersection of science and wellness, this episode delivers a potent mix of science-backed insights, personal experimentation, and myth-busting clarity.SHOW NOTES:0:39 Welcome to the podcast!3:19 Creatine for Alzheimer's7:12 Golf courses & Parkinson's11:45 Coffee enemas19:11 Delta-Sleep-Inducing Peptide20:24 Gupta Program22:45 Timeline nutrition25:52 Paraxanthine x UPDATE27:26 Lauren's Red Light stack28:32 **ALIGN MAT*30:31 Hack for back pain31:49 Cycle Syncing headline36:14 Benefits of cycle syncing39:46 Supporting muscle protein synthesis43:01 Tracking your menstrual cycle47:02 Is Cycle Syncing a trend?49:32 Thanks for tuning in for 300!RESOURCES:Creatine: Kion - code: biobabes15 & Puori - code: biohackerbabesPompa Program Cellular DetoxHappy Bum Coffee Enema Kit - Discount code: BIOHACKERBABESGupta ProgramLimbic Retraining: Primal Trust, DNRSTimeline Nutrition - code: BIOHACKERBABESDrink UpdateAlign Mat - code: BIOHACKERBABES to save $250 OURA RingOur Sponsors:* Check out Puori: https://Puori.com/BIOHACKERBABESSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/biohacker-babes-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Ever pick a feat so bad it made your character question their entire existence? Good news—this episode is your mulligan. Need a professional GM to help you respec your party's chaos into a compelling narrative? Book a session with the one and only Dungeon Master Adamantine! Whether you're in Athens, Greece, connecting online, or just looking to combine your vacation with a dragon-slaying adventure, DM Adamantine is your go-to Game Master for high-quality TTRPG sessions in D&D, Call of Cthulhu, Vampire: The Masquerade, and more. Find your next unforgettable adventure at www.dungeonmasteradamantine.com or book sessions at StartPlaying.games/gm/dmadamantine. In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts embrace change—literally—as they dive deep into the concept of retraining mechanics in tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons 5E and Pathfinder 2E. But before the character sheet gets erased, they kick things off with a nerdy detour into Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition, share opinions on the Resident Evil franchise, and wax nostalgic about the golden age of gaming. Then the core conversation begins: What do you do when the feat you picked at Level 3 turns out to be hot garbage? Or when your barbarian realizes Intelligence isn't just a dump stat—it's a lifestyle choice? That's where retraining comes in. The hosts discuss why retraining is essential for both new and experienced players, the narrative and mechanical implications of character do-overs, and how GMs can avoid turning the process into a bureaucratic nightmare. They compare systems, critique design philosophies, and remind everyone that flexibility is key to fun. If you've ever regretted your build, re-specced mid-campaign, or wanted to take a mulligan on your bard's flute proficiency, this episode is for you. PF2 Retraining on Archives of Nethys Neverwinter Nights 2 (Affiliate Link) Strongholds and Followers Dimension20 NaddPod Slither Film Cornetto Trilogy Bojack Horseman Tedd Lasso Key Takeaways Retraining is essential for helping players adapt to new strategies, party dynamics, or just plain regret. Pathfinder 2E offers clear, structured retraining rules that make it easy to respec without breaking immersion. D&D 5E, by contrast, provides limited retraining options, often requiring house rules to fill in the gaps. Retraining is especially useful for new players who don't yet grasp the long-term consequences of build choices. Costs for retraining—whether time, gold, or in-world narrative—should be clear but not punitive. The “burden of knowledge” can be overwhelming; good retraining systems ease that pressure. Character development should be fluid, allowing for organic growth and change over time. Retraining can include skills, feats, class features, and even languages, though learning Infernal overnight might stretch believability. Tone shifting—from serious to humorous or vice versa—is an important skill for both players and GMs. Humor should act as a pressure release, not a tonal whiplash. Matching your group's emotional energy and narrative expectations is vital for a good game session. Every table should discuss retraining rules upfront, so expectations are clear and rerolls don't become courtroom dramas. Even Call of Cthulhu has unique retraining mechanics that focus on realism and narrative trauma—proof that every game handles it differently. Retraining mechanics support player agency, increase campaign longevity, and ultimately make the game more fun. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It's a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners. If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, can chat directly to members of the RPGBOT team and community on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us for live-streamed recordings. Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati  

Ever pick a feat so bad it made your character question their entire existence? Good news—this episode is your mulligan. Need a professional GM to help you respec your party's chaos into a compelling narrative? Book a session with the one and only Dungeon Master Adamantine! Whether you're in Athens, Greece, connecting online, or just looking to combine your vacation with a dragon-slaying adventure, DM Adamantine is your go-to Game Master for high-quality TTRPG sessions in D&D, Call of Cthulhu, Vampire: The Masquerade, and more. Find your next unforgettable adventure at www.dungeonmasteradamantine.com or book sessions at StartPlaying.games/gm/dmadamantine. In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts embrace change—literally—as they dive deep into the concept of retraining mechanics in tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons 5E and Pathfinder 2E. But before the character sheet gets erased, they kick things off with a nerdy detour into Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition, share opinions on the Resident Evil franchise, and wax nostalgic about the golden age of gaming. Then the core conversation begins: What do you do when the feat you picked at Level 3 turns out to be hot garbage? Or when your barbarian realizes Intelligence isn't just a dump stat—it's a lifestyle choice? That's where retraining comes in. The hosts discuss why retraining is essential for both new and experienced players, the narrative and mechanical implications of character do-overs, and how GMs can avoid turning the process into a bureaucratic nightmare. They compare systems, critique design philosophies, and remind everyone that flexibility is key to fun. If you've ever regretted your build, re-specced mid-campaign, or wanted to take a mulligan on your bard's flute proficiency, this episode is for you. PF2 Retraining on Archives of Nethys Neverwinter Nights 2 (Affiliate Link) Strongholds and Followers Dimension20 NaddPod Slither Film Cornetto Trilogy Bojack Horseman Tedd Lasso Key Takeaways Retraining is essential for helping players adapt to new strategies, party dynamics, or just plain regret. Pathfinder 2E offers clear, structured retraining rules that make it easy to respec without breaking immersion. D&D 5E, by contrast, provides limited retraining options, often requiring house rules to fill in the gaps. Retraining is especially useful for new players who don't yet grasp the long-term consequences of build choices. Costs for retraining—whether time, gold, or in-world narrative—should be clear but not punitive. The “burden of knowledge” can be overwhelming; good retraining systems ease that pressure. Character development should be fluid, allowing for organic growth and change over time. Retraining can include skills, feats, class features, and even languages, though learning Infernal overnight might stretch believability. Tone shifting—from serious to humorous or vice versa—is an important skill for both players and GMs. Humor should act as a pressure release, not a tonal whiplash. Matching your group's emotional energy and narrative expectations is vital for a good game session. Every table should discuss retraining rules upfront, so expectations are clear and rerolls don't become courtroom dramas. Even Call of Cthulhu has unique retraining mechanics that focus on realism and narrative trauma—proof that every game handles it differently. Retraining mechanics support player agency, increase campaign longevity, and ultimately make the game more fun. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It's a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners. If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, can chat directly to members of the RPGBOT team and community on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us for live-streamed recordings. Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati  

In this very personal and insightful episode of The MindHealth360 Show, Ashok Gupta – internationally renowned health practitioner and creator of the Gupta Program – joins us to discuss how brain retraining can reverse chronic illness and heal the nervous system. Gupta shares the powerful story behind the creation of his program, which he developed after suffering from ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) as a student at Cambridge University. Through his own neurological research and treatment plans, Gupta achieved full recovery and has since helped thousands of others do the same.  Kirkland Newman shares her own journey through mould toxicity, nervous system dysregulation, and severe neurological symptoms, and how the Gupta Program – recommended to her by Dr. Neil Nathan – was instrumental in her recovery. Together, they explore how chronic stress, trauma, and environmental triggers can lead to maladaptive brain responses that keep the body stuck in illness, and how brain retraining offers a path to healing.  In this compelling episode, Gupta explains the science behind his program, its origins, and how it helps people with conditions such as ME/CFS, CIRS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Fibromyalgia, long COVID, mould illness, anxiety, and other neurological and mental health conditions. He also reflects on the broader implications of neuroplasticity and the mind-body connection in the treatment of chronic disease.  In this episode you will learn about:  How Ashok Gupta developed the Gupta Program after healing from chronic fatigue syndrome during his time at Cambridge University.  The role of brain retraining in reversing neurological and mental health symptoms caused by an inflammatory and immune response driven initially by toxins and pathogens, and leading to a dysregulated nervous system and chronic symptoms Why chronic illness is often rooted in a “trauma loop” within the brain's limbic system.  How the Gupta Program uses neuroplasticity to interrupt maladaptive patterns and rewire the brain toward healing.  Why environmental triggers like mould can activate a dysfunctional threat response in the brain.  How Ashok Gupta's recovery journey led to the creation of a structured, evidence-based program that has helped thousands of people globally.  A firsthand account from host Kirkland Newman on how the Gupta Program helped relieve her symptoms of tremors, anxiety, fasciculations, and more.  The importance of viewing chronic illness through the lens of the brain-body connection, and the role of hope and empowerment in recovery.   

Professor Lorimer Moseley is neuroscientist, who specialises in the complexities and mind-boggling nature of pain - what it is, why it exists, how it works and when it can go wrong.For most of us, pain is a fundamental part of being alive, and staying alive and yet none of us will ever experience the exact same pain as someone else, which makes it incredibly difficult to understand.Every day, we stub our toes and burn our tongues. Some of us break bones and suffer from more serious illnesses and conditions.What you feel when your skin is broken or a ligament is torn is there to tell your brain to be careful, that something is wrong and needs to be protected.But what happens when doctors can't find any damage? When the tissues in your hips or the pictures of your brain seem perfectly fine, but still, there is agonising pain that refuses to leave you alone?Lorimer was a physiotherapist who came to this very specific neuroscience after his own experience with chronic pain, following a pretty gruesome sporting injury that by all accounts had been fixed by surgery.He realised that as he was learning more about how changes in the body are detected (like temperature and pressure), and communicated as pain to the brain through the central nervous system, his own chronic pain started to diminish.Since then, Lorimer has published hundreds of papers and several books on the topic, in his pursuit to help people also dig themselves out of the hellish cruelty of chronic pain.Further informationYou can find more resources from Professor Moseley about tackling persistent or chronic pain online at TameTheBeast.orgFind out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.The Executive Producer of Conversations in Nicola Harrison. This episode was produced by Meggie Morris and presented by Richard Fidler. It explores persistent pain, migraine, arthritis, neurology, psychology, distrust of the medical system, pain relief, hypersensitivity to pain, doctors who believe you, chronic conditions, endometriosis.

Themes: Brain Retraining, Coaching, Healing from Dysregulation  Episode: Have you tried Vital-Side's Rewire or Elevate programs? On today's episode, Bianca Spears, a dear friend, Vital-Side member, and laughter and play coach with over 10 years of experience talks about how Vital-Side helped her heal from chronic anxiety, dermatitis, and sleep issues and elevate her expertise as a brain retraining coach. Bianca and Lindsay have worked together to create programs inside Vital-Side and Bianca uses her methodology known as NeruoPLAYstic to coach clients in their own healing journeys. Listen to this episode to learn how you can find joy in the most mundane moments in life through laughter and brain retraining.  Show Notes: - How Bianca's coaching business evolved after using Rewire and becoming a Vital-Side coach - How Lindsay and Bianca collaborated to create Elevate in Vital-Side - Applying brain retraining to Bianca's playfulness coaching - Using affirmations and state changers as healing tools - Adding more play into mundane tasks to make life more fun - Overcoming the “if…then…” mindset - Regulating yourself throughout the day is normal; you won't be perfectly regulated all the time - Slow down to the speed of now Resources: - Get more from the Vital-Side Podcast here - Email podcast@vital-side.com if you're interested in being a guest or have topic ideas - Check out the Elevate or Regulation Station programs from Vital-Side - Schedule a FREE 15 minute call with Bianca  - Schedule a session with a Vital-Side coach - Listen to episode 9 of the Vital-Side Podcast, The Joy & Science of Laughter with Bianca Spears - Lindsay's Instagram: @myvitalside or TikTok: @myvitalside - Visit Lindsay's Website - Click here for Lindsay's FREE Brain Retraining Guide   

In this edition of Wisdom Wednesdays, the focus is on the incredible malleability of the human heart, inspired by my personal experience with open-heart surgery. The episode delves into historic and revolutionary studies, starting with the 1966 Dallas Bedrest Study, which showcased the drastic effects of inactivity on cardiovascular health. It then explores follow-up studies that demonstrated how structured exercise programs can not only reverse cardiac damage but also make the heart more efficient and youthful, even in middle-aged individuals. I explore the importance of consistent, smart exercise, combining moderate aerobic activity and high-intensity intervals, to maintain a healthy heart into older age. The show concludes with a powerful reminder of the human body's need for physical activity, supported by an impactful quote from Professor Frank Booth. 00:00 Introduction and Personal Connection 00:41 The Dallas Bedrest Study: A Groundbreaking Experiment 01:41 The Impact of Bedrest and the Power of Retraining 03:54 Long-Term Effects and Follow-Up Studies 05:31 Modern Research: Reversing Cardiac Aging 06:23 Exercise Protocols for Heart Health 12:57 Key Takeaways and Final ThoughtsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tricks to Fine Tuning // MLOps Podcast #318 with Prithviraj Ammanabrolu, Research Scientist at Databricks. Join the Community: https://go.mlops.community/YTJoinIn Get the newsletter: https://go.mlops.community/YTNewsletter // AbstractPrithviraj Ammanabrolu drops by to break down Tao fine-tuning—a clever way to train models without labeled data. Using reinforcement learning and synthetic data, Tao teaches models to evaluate and improve themselves. Raj explains how this works, where it shines (think small models punching above their weight), and why it could be a game-changer for efficient deployment.// BioRaj is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, San Diego, leading the PEARLS Lab in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). He is also a Research Scientist at Mosaic AI, Databricks, where his team is actively recruiting research scientists and engineers with expertise in reinforcement learning and distributed systems.Previously, he was part of the Mosaic team at the Allen Institute for AI. He earned his PhD in Computer Science from the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech, advised by Professor Mark Riedl in the Entertainment Intelligence Lab.// Related LinksWebsite: https://www.databricks.com/~~~~~~~~ ✌️Connect With Us ✌️ ~~~~~~~Catch all episodes, blogs, newsletters, and more: https://go.mlops.community/TYExploreJoin our Slack community [https://go.mlops.community/slack]Follow us on X/Twitter [@mlopscommunity](https://x.com/mlopscommunity) or [LinkedIn](https://go.mlops.community/linkedin)] Sign up for the next meetup: [https://go.mlops.community/register]MLOps Swag/Merch: [https://shop.mlops.community/]Connect with Demetrios on LinkedIn: /dpbrinkmConnect with Raj on LinkedIn: /rajammanabroluTimestamps:[00:00] Raj's preferred coffee[00:36] Takeaways[01:02] Tao Naming Decision[04:19] No Labels Machine Learning[08:09] Tao and TAO breakdown[13:20] Reward Model Fine-Tuning[18:15] Training vs Inference Compute[22:32] Retraining and Model Drift[29:06] Prompt Tuning vs Fine-Tuning[34:32] Small Model Optimization Strategies[37:10] Small Model Potential[43:08] Fine-tuning Model Differences[46:02] Mistral Model Freedom[53:46] Wrap up

In this conversation, the Sathiya and Scott explore the journey into neuroscience, particularly focusing on the understanding of depression and anxiety. They discuss the significance of the inner critic, its origins in childhood, and how it affects mental health. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of self-compassion in recovery and the balance between methods and outcomes in personal growth. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the themes of self-compassion, the inner critic, emotional regulation, and the intersection of faith and neuroscience. They explore how understanding one's motivations and the pressures of life can lead to greater self-awareness and healing. The discussion emphasizes the importance of slowing down, being present, and recognizing the multifaceted nature of one's thoughts and feelings. The speakers also share personal experiences that highlight the journey of integrating faith with mental health practices.   Got a Question? It Could Be on the Podcast! Submit It Through This Form Find Out More About My DeepClean Recovery Program Here Get A Free Copy of The Last Relapse, A Blueprint For Recovery Watch Sathiya on Youtube For More Content Like This   00:00 Journey into Neuroscience 02:59 Understanding Depression and Anxiety 05:56 The Inner Critic: A Deep Dive 09:00 The Role of Childhood in Shaping the Inner Critic 12:01 Navigating Recovery and Self-Compassion 15:11 The Balance Between Method and Outcome 33:18 The Pressure of Self-Compassion 36:23 Understanding the Inner Critic 39:12 Exploring Emotional Regulation and Relief 41:39 Retraining the Inner Critic 46:27 The Intersection of Faith and Neuroscience

Today, I'm back for part 2 of my conversation with Dave Asprey. In this episode, we get into the controversial health practices and daily routines that have transformed his health and energy. Dave reveals his complete daily protocol, including cold plunges, infrared saunas, and the shocking revelation that he takes 150 supplements daily. He challenges conventional wisdom about exercise ("it doesn't make you lose weight"), nutrition ("vegan diets were my biggest mistake"), and controversial testosterone optimization protocols that he's followed since age 26. Dave Asprey is the founder of nine companies, including Bulletproof, Danger Coffee, TrueDark, and Upgrade Labs. He's authored bestselling books including "The Bulletproof Diet," "Head Strong," and his newest release, "Heavily Meditated." Dave is credited with creating three unique billion-dollar markets: MCT Oil, Collagen Protein, and Functional Coffee.  What We Discuss: needs updated when audio is done (01:01:08) Facing Trauma as an Entrepreneur (01:09:30) Identifying and Managing Toxic Personalities (01:19:46) Sleep, Biohacking, and Longevity Insights (01:29:43) Retraining the Brain for Neurotypical Function (01:35:20) Alzheimer's and Cognitive Enhancement Solutions (01:46:01) Debating Vaccines and Health Choices (01:55:41) Optimizing Longevity With Biohacking Supplements …and more! Thank you to our sponsors: Therasage: Head over to therasage.com and use code Be Bold for 15% off  TruNiagen: Head over to truniagen.com and use code HUSTLE20 to get $20 off any purchase over $100. Magic Mind: Head over to www.magicmind.com/jen and use code Jen at checkout. Air Doctor: Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code HUSTLE for up to $300 off and a 3-year warranty on air purifiers.  Bio.me: Link to daily prebiotic fiber here, code Jennifer20 for 20% off.  Momentous: Shop this link and use code Jen for 20% off David: Buy 4, get the 5th free at davidprotein.com/habitsandhustle.   Find more from Jen:  Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/ Instagram: @therealjencohen   Books: https://www.jennifercohen.com/books Speaking: https://www.jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagement Find more from Dave Aspry: Website: https://daveasprey.com/  X: https://www.instagram.com/dave.asprey/?hl=en  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DaveAspreyBPR 

Evidence-based psychotherapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy, are the best tools we have to treat PTSD for most people–at least as long as those in need are able to access these therapies. A number of barriers may exist, such as availability of trained therapists, insurance coverage (or lack thereof), or even life stressors standing in the way. During the COVID-19 pandemic, trauma exposure exploded exponentially while at the same time access to care due to lockdowns and social distancing was severely diminished. In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, we chat with Dr. Sheila Rauch, one of the authors of the Prolonged Exposure Therapist Guide, about her many exciting projects to expand access to effective care for PTSD. As she explains, “the more doors that we have for people with PTSD to enter and get effective treatment, the more people are going to actually do that.” Join us for one of our new favorite episodes to hear about self-help approaches, PE in primary care, immediate interventions in emergency departments, and shifting the name of PE to “Processing Emotions.”Sheila A.M. Rauch, Ph.D., ABPP, co-led design and now serves as Deputy Director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and Director of Mental Health Research and Program Evaluation at the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center. For over 20 years, Dr. Rauch's work in VA and Academic Medical settings focuses on developing programs, conducting research, and providing PTSD and Anxiety Disorders treatment with the goal to improve access to effective mental health treatment. Her research focuses on examination of mechanisms involved in the development and treatment of PTSD and improving access to effective interventions. She has led several PTSD treatment outcome and mechanisms trials including pharmaceutical and therapy trials focused on moving interventions for PTSD into medical and primary care settings. She has published over 220 peer-reviewed scholarly articles as well as many chapters and six books on anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She developed an effective primary care based PTSD intervention that is in use across VA and many civilian settings and has also worked to get treatment out of the clinic and into the hands of those who need it with apps, self-guided workbooks, and web-based interventions. Her work examines neurobiology and factors involved in the development, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety disorders, psychosocial factors in medical settings, and the relation between physical health and anxiety. Her recent books include Retraining the Brain and Making Meaning of Difficult Experiences.Resources mentioned in this episode:Rauch, S. A. M., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2023). Making Meaning of Difficult Experiences: A Self-Guided Program. Oxford University Press.Virtually Better. (2024). Messy Memories [Mobile app]. Available on Google Play and Apple App StorePE in Primary Care training: VA and military providers can reach out to Margaret.venners@va.gov for training, and civilian providers can reach out to jgarlick@med.umich.eduPractical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4pPractical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.eduCalls-to-action:Remember that emotions aren't dangerousGet training in brief treatment models (e.g. PCPE. see above)Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

Tricks to Fine Tuning // MLOps Podcast #318 with Prithviraj Ammanabrolu, Research Scientist at Databricks.Join the Community: https://go.mlops.community/YTJoinIn Get the newsletter: https://go.mlops.community/YTNewsletter // AbstractPrithviraj Ammanabrolu drops by to break down Tao fine-tuning—a clever way to train models without labeled data. Using reinforcement learning and synthetic data, Tao teaches models to evaluate and improve themselves. Raj explains how this works, where it shines (think small models punching above their weight), and why it could be a game-changer for efficient deployment.// BioRaj is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, San Diego, leading the PEARLS Lab in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). He is also a Research Scientist at Mosaic AI, Databricks, where his team is actively recruiting research scientists and engineers with expertise in reinforcement learning and distributed systems.Previously, he was part of the Mosaic team at the Allen Institute for AI. He earned his PhD in Computer Science from the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech, advised by Professor Mark Riedl in the Entertainment Intelligence Lab.// Related LinksWebsite: https://www.databricks.com/~~~~~~~~ ✌️Connect With Us ✌️ ~~~~~~~Catch all episodes, blogs, newsletters, and more: https://go.mlops.community/TYExploreJoin our Slack community [https://go.mlops.community/slack]Follow us on X/Twitter [@mlopscommunity](https://x.com/mlopscommunity) or [LinkedIn](https://go.mlops.community/linkedin)] Sign up for the next meetup: [https://go.mlops.community/register]MLOps Swag/Merch: [https://shop.mlops.community/]Connect with Demetrios on LinkedIn: /dpbrinkmConnect with Raj on LinkedIn: /rajammanabroluTimestamps:[00:00] Raj's preferred coffee[00:36] Takeaways[01:02] Tao Naming Decision[04:19] No Labels Machine Learning[08:09] Tao and TAO breakdown[13:20] Reward Model Fine-Tuning[18:15] Training vs Inference Compute[22:32] Retraining and Model Drift[29:06] Prompt Tuning vs Fine-Tuning[34:32] Small Model Optimization Strategies[37:10] Small Model Potential[43:08] Fine-tuning Model Differences[46:02] Mistral Model Freedom[53:46] Wrap up

In this episode, I'm offering guidance on how to transition from a 200-hour teacher training to therapeutic practices. I emphasize a return to clarity and authenticity rather than chasing dramatic breakthroughs. I discuss the nervous system's protective patterns and advocate for compassionate, precise movements to foster safety and transformation. The episode blends biomechanics, neuroscience, and presence, offering tools for deeper understanding and application of therapeutic yoga.

In this episode of the RWS Clinician's Corner, Margaret sits down with Ashok Gupta for a deep dive into the brain's pivotal role in chronic illness—exploring how conditions like Long Covid, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, mold toxicity, and persistent inflammation can often be rooted in neural and nervous system dysregulation. They discuss the distinction between hardware (the body) and software (the brain and nervous system), the science and process of limbic retraining, and practical ways clinicians can integrate these approaches into their practices.   In this interview, we discuss:       -Brain retraining vs. meditation/stress reduction      -The concept of creating and rewiring neural pathways      -Acute vs. chronic illness: transition due to overactive protective responses      -The role of genetic predispositions (e.g., detox ability, immune differences)      -The three “R”s of brain retraining: regulate, retrain, re-engage       -Practical considerations for implementation, maintenance, and long-term success      -Strategies for integrating these techniques/the Gupta program in clinical practice The Clinician's Corner is brought to you by Restorative Wellness Solutions.  Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/restorativewellnesssolutions/   Connect with Dr. Ashok Gupta: Website: http://www.guptaprogram.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guptaprogram/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guptaprogram/   Special Offer to RWS Listeners:  We offer all practicing clinicians free access to our brain retraining program for one year -  worth $499 - they can sign up/apply at: https://guptaprogram.com/health-professionals/ Timestamps:    00:00 Mind-Body Healing Hypothesis 09:27 "Integrating Brain-Gut Axis Approaches" 12:59 "Brain Retraining for Chronic Issues" 18:18 Chronic Illness: Break the Vicious Cycle 26:26 Reengage with Joy Program 32:23 "Commit to a Healing Journey" 36:17 Acute vs. Chronic Treatment Approaches 43:50 "Brain Retraining Effectiveness Factors" 49:53 Brain Retraining for Clinicians 52:55 Clinician Co-Branding Service Launch 56:10 Incorporating Nervous System in Health 01:06:22 "Neuroplasticity Healing Success Stories" 01:10:42 Clinician's Corner: Episode Recap Speaker bio: Ashok is an internationally renowned Speaker, Filmmaker & Health Practitioner who has dedicated his life to supporting people through chronic illness, and achieving their potential.   Ashok suffered from ME, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, around 25 years ago when he was studying at Cambridge University. Through neurological research that he conducted, he managed to get himself 100% better. He then set up a clinic to treat others, and then published the well-known neuroplasticity “limbic retraining” recovery program and app known as the Gupta Program in 2007.    He has published several medical papers including randomized controlled trials on Long Covid, ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia, showing that the treatment is effective, and he is continually researching these conditions.   Keywords:  brain retraining, limbic retraining, neuroplasticity, chronic illness, chronic fatigue syndrome, ME/CFS, long Covid, fibromyalgia, mold toxicity, autoimmunity, gut health, nervous system regulation, functional medicine, integrative health, immune system, inflammation, trauma healing, stress reduction, somatic techniques, meditation, breath work, Gupta Program, functional health practitioners, clinical studies, pain management, anxiety, depression, food sensitivities, neuroscience, recovery   Disclaimer: The views expressed in the RWS Clinician's Corner series are those of the individual speakers and interviewees, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Restorative Wellness Solutions, LLC. Restorative Wellness Solutions, LLC does not specifically endorse or approve of any of the information or opinions expressed in the RWS Clinician's Corner series. The information and opinions expressed in the RWS Clinician's Corner series are for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. If you have any medical concerns, please consult with a qualified healthcare professional. Restorative Wellness Solutions, LLC is not liable for any damages or injuries that may result from the use of the information or opinions expressed in the RWS Clinician's Corner series. By viewing or listening to this information, you agree to hold Restorative Wellness Solutions, LLC harmless from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with your participation. Thank you for your understanding.  

In Part 2 of our conversation with Aubrey Graham of Kivu Sporthorses, we take a deeper dive into her practical approach to training off-track Thoroughbreds. Aubrey breaks down how to do less to get more—a mindset that emphasizes thoughtful observation, strategic timing, and letting the horse lead. From early groundwork to first jumps, she shares exercises, common mistakes, and how to build a training plan that prioritizes communication and trust.If you're retraining a young Thoroughbred or navigating the early stages of your OTTB's transition, this episode is full of takeaways you can apply right away.

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Your body isn't damaged, but you're still feeling pain or symptoms? That's because chronic pain/symptoms often persists long after injuries heal due to a sensitized nervous system. In this illuminating episode, we unravel how your brain can misinterpret safe signals as dangerous, creating persistent pain and symptoms even when there's no structural damage.We explore the fascinating neuroscience behind chronic pain/symptoms, explaining how different brain regions become involved when pain transitions from acute to chronic. The famous neurological principle "neurons that fire together, wire together" reveals why pain/symptom pathways strengthen over time through repetitive activation. Just as learning any skill improves with practice, your brain unfortunately becomes more efficient at producing pain/symptoms when these pathways are repeatedly activated.The episode centers on a powerful solution: embodiment practices that help desensitize your overactive alarm system. Rather than staying trapped in fearful thoughts and rumination that fuel the pain/symptom cycle, we guide you through approaching sensations with curiosity and safety. Through deliberate nervous system regulation, slow breathing, and present-moment awareness, you can teach your brain to reappraise sensations it previously misinterpreted as threatening.The highlight of this episode is a complete guided somatic practice where we walk you through exploring sensations with playful curiosity—like a kitten investigating a new room—rather than fear or judgment. This brain retraining exercise helps create new neural pathways that view sensations as safe rather than dangerous.Ready to rewire your brain's pain response? Begin your healing journey by practicing embodiment consistently when symptoms are mild to moderate. For additional support, check out our digital course with over 60 somatic and brain retraining practices at mbodycommunity.com, or book a consultation with one of our therapists. Your path to freedom from chronic pain starts with understanding your nervous system and learning to create safety within.Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson are therapists who treat neuroplastic pain and mind-body symptoms. They are also married! In his 20s, Tanner overcame chronic pain and a fibromyalgia diagnosis by learning his symptoms were occurring due to learned brain pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Post-healing, Tanner and Anne have dedicated their lives to developing effective treatment and education for neuroplastic pain and symptoms. Listen and learn how to assess your own chronic pain and symptoms, gain tools to retrain the brain and nervous system, and make gradual changes in your life and health! The Mind-Body Couple podcast is owned by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc. This podcast is produced by Alex Klassen, who is one of the wonderful therapists at our agency in Calgary, Alberta. https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/ Tanner, Anne, and Alex also run the MBody Community, which is an in-depth online course that provides step-by-step guidance for assessing, treating, and resolving mind-body pain and symptoms. https://www.mbodycommunity.com Also check out Tanner's YouTube channel for more free education and practices: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fl6WaFHnh4ponuexaMbFQ And follow us for daily education posts on Instagram: @painpsychotherapy Discl...

Retraining your brain takes a little bit of work-but it's like creating muscle memory. Today I'm talking about how retraining your brain works, what it feels like, and how to do it more effectively so you can get where you want to be FASTER! Tired of feeling like you're not good enough? Come join me in the brand new "Love Who I Am" Masterclass- April 27-May1! This is where I will teach you how to break out of the toxic negativity cycles in your brain, move beyond regret and shame of the past, and establish hope in the future. Click here for full details and save your seat today!

Have you ever heard my experience with brain retraining? It's been a few years since I did an episode about it, and because it's SUCH valuable information I wanted to talk about it again, and add in my new insights and perspectives from this point in my journey.In this episode I share:-an overview of my healing process through brain retraining-a guide to explore what is behind you dysregulation and chronic symptoms through mining your story, early conditioning, unique vulnerabilities such as neurodivergence, and your present environments and relationships to understand the reasons behind why you became dysregulated in the first place-the important concept of sustainable nervous system regulation-brain retraining or trauma healing? which should go first-finding the important healing balance of grief/trauma work and beauty/goodness seeking-who I would recommend brain retraining for-what I recommend if you're noticing symptoms crop up, but you're not really unwell yet-how brain retraining has changed my life and opened me up to possibilities I would not have had without it Make sure to check season 2, episode 18 if you want to hear more details about brain retraining! Share this episode with a friend who might benefit!

In this powerful episode, we're joined by Kevin Lowe, an inspirational speaker and podcast host who shares his remarkable journey of losing his sight at 17 and discovering an entirely new way to "see" the world. Through launching his own travel agency, creating a podcast during the pandemic, learning how to 'see' through sound and now inspiring others through speaking, Kevin exemplifies resilience in its purest form. His personal equation—"faith plus family equals a life worth living"—reminds us all to identify what gives our lives meaning, especially during our darkest moments. Kevin's story isn't just about overcoming blindness—it's about transforming limitation into possibility and finding purpose in pain. As he puts it, "Through the vulnerability of the brain that I became blind, but it's also through the power of the brain that I learned to see again." Follow Kevin's journey on his podcast "Grit, Grace and Inspiration" or learn more about his speaking at kevinspeaks.org. If this episode hit you in the heart and you're ready to turn your own adversity into strength, I want to personally help you. Book a free 30-minute coaching consult call with me (yes, WITH ME—not some team member). Visit my website here to submit for a coaching call with me! CLICK HERE to ORDER my book "Okay. Now What?" - How to Be Resilient When Life Gets Tough. Want to download a free chapter of my book to give it a read first? CLICK HERE. To hire me to speak at your organization or next event, visit https://www.kategladdin.com/    Introduction to the Episode (00:00:00)   Kate Gladdin welcomes listeners and introduces the theme of personal resilience. Introducing Kevin Lowe (00:01:06)   Kate introduces Kevin Lowe, discussing his background as an inspirational speaker and blind visionary. Kevin's Journey Begins (00:02:00)   Kevin shares the timeline of his blindness, marking 21 years without sight. The Diagnosis (00:02:43)   Kevin recounts his life in 2003 and the medical issues leading to his brain tumor diagnosis. The Tumor Discovery (00:05:04)   Kevin describes the shocking moment his mother received the news about his brain tumor. The Severity of the Condition (00:07:07)   Discussion of the tumor's impact and the urgency for surgical intervention. The Surgery Announcement (00:10:05)   Kevin recalls the reassurance from his neurosurgeon about the surgery and recovery expectations. Surgery Day (00:12:46)   Kevin reflects on the day of his surgery and the changes it would bring. Waking Up Blind (00:14:17)   Kevin describes the moment he realized he was completely blind after surgery. The Aftermath of Surgery (00:15:06)   Discussion of the complications and challenges Kevin faced post-surgery. The Realization of Blindness (00:16:49)   Kevin shares his emotional struggle and repeated realization of his blindness. Learning to 'See' Again (00:18:34)   Kevin discusses discovering echolocation as a method to navigate the world as a blind person. Training in Echolocation (00:19:15)   Kevin explains his training experience with Brian Bucci to learn echolocation techniques. The Process of Retraining the Brain (00:22:39)   Kevin highlights the neuroplasticity of the brain and how it can adapt to new ways of perceiving the environment. Here are the extracted timestamps and their titles from the podcast episode transcription segment: Kevin's Life-Changing Moment (00:22:57) Kevin describes a pivotal moment where he learns to use echolocation to navigate his environment. The Power of the Brain (00:25:25) Discussion on how Kevin's brain adapts, allowing him to perceive shapes and figures through sound. Mainstream Techniques for Vision Problems (00:26:50) Kevin reflects on the acceptance of echolocation training in organizations for the blind. Navigating the World with Confidence (00:28:21) Kevin shares how echolocation enhances his ability to navigate confidently in public spaces. Heightened Senses After Losing Sight (00:29:00) Kevin confirms that losing sight has heightened his other senses, especially hearing. Resilience and Adaptability (00:30:08) Kate emphasizes the resilience of the human body and the ability to overcome challenges. The Role of Choice in Overcoming Challenges (00:30:57) Discussion on how Kevin's choices and efforts contributed to his journey of adaptation. Starting a Travel Agency (00:31:27) Kevin shares how he transitioned from blindness to running his own travel agency. Building a Brand and Purpose (00:35:40) Kevin discusses the purpose and fulfillment he found in running his travel agency. Career Transition During the Pandemic (00:36:48) Kevin reflects on how the pandemic forced him to pivot in his career. Using Experiences to Inspire Others (00:37:16) Kevin talks about his current purpose of inspiring others through his experiences. Starting a Podcast (00:38:37) Kevin shares how he began his podcast as a way to connect and inspire during quarantine. Motto for Overcoming Hard Days (00:41:26) Kevin reveals his personal motto that helped him through dark times: faith plus family equals a life worth living. Promoting Kevin's Podcast (00:44:13)   Kevin shares information about his podcast, "Grit Grace and Inspiration," and invites listeners to join his email list. Kevin's Speaking Engagements (00:45:03)   Kevin discusses his speaking services, encouraging organizations to consider him for their events. Anniversary Dinner Tradition (00:45:18)   Kate asks Kevin about his tradition of dining at Outback Steakhouse on the anniversary of his blindness. Connection to Outback Steakhouse (00:46:10)   Kevin explains the humorous connection to Outback Steakhouse and why it holds significance for him. Celebrating Life After Surgery (00:47:17)   Kevin shares how the anniversary dinner symbolizes a celebration of life, not the loss of his sight. Reflecting on Emotions (00:47:34)   Kevin discusses the emotional complexity of anniversaries and how they bring back memories. Cultural Humor (00:48:00)   Kate and Kevin joke about Outback's portrayal of Australian culture and their own experiences with food. Full Circle Moment (00:48:29)   Kate reflects on the journey and how Kevin's story connects back to the podcast's themes of resilience. Coaching Offer (00:49:14)   Kate promotes her one-on-one personalized life coaching services for women seeking to regain control of their lives.

Send us a textStress & Hair Loss ~ Retraining your brain to reduce cortisol Keira Smith is a solution-based hypnotherapist.She used to be a personal trainer and yoga teacher, but she found this stressful and ended up developing unhelpful coping mechanisms.She then found hypnotherapy and discovered it was a way to help people reduce stress and anxiety. She could help them deal with stressful things like PTSD and panic attacks.She has used her therapy to help hair loss conditions, and reduce cortisol levels. She has helped people achieve health hair growth, including those with trichotillomania. Keira discussed coping mechanisms, and how they can be helpful, and how you can reframe situations to create new positive frames of reference.Connect with Keira:Positive Change HypnotherapyThe Chimp ParadoxAtomic Habits Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course Support the showConnect with Hair therapy: Facebook Instagram Twitter Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy Donate towards the podcast Start your own podcastHair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

 Besides hiring the right person for the role in your coffee shop, onboarding and training is the most important thing to get right so those you bring on and the customers who trust you brand, are set up for success. It is therefore little wonder why, when training and on-barding are skimped on, the hospitality, quality, and then sales go down as customers lose trust. Today we are going to be discussing how to approach the development and execution of onboarding and training in a way that creates the best chance for success. I would emphasis that this episode is one among many listed below that I feel need to be listened to in order to bring about an understanding of what tips, steps, and insight make sense to apply to your cafe. When it comes to operations and building these kinds of programs and systems, the engagement of leadership in curating them to serve their people is a never ending task. It helps to embrace the "always" nature of this part of running a cafe just as much as a barista will always be expected and hopefully take joy in, making and serving drinks.     Related Episodes:  339 : What Good Barista Training Produces 235 : 4 Tips for Training your Staff 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards 424: Developing Menu and Hospitality Guides 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles 271 : Why the Cash Register Controls Everything   THERE IS STILL TIME!!!   ATTENTION CAFE OWNERS w/ 2+ Years of running your brick and mortar.... - LOOKING FOR A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT, ACCOUNTABILITY, INSIGHT, AND ENCOURAGEMENT?  - The Key Holder Coaching Group master-mind are now taking new applicants for our 4th cohort launching in march!    Click below to fill out your application now! KEY HOLDER COACHING APPLICATION   INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING? If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com

In February, the Inside the ICE House Podcasts aired four new episodes covering a diverse range of industries, from the development of ICE Voice and the changing workforce, to the rebranding of an insurance industry icon and how AI is helping in drug development. Episode 456: IPC Systems CEO Kurt Adams on Innovation, Acquisition, & the Development of ICE Voice Episode 457: Author Rishad Tobaccowala on Retraining, Relearning, and "Rethinking Work" Episode 458: Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan on Drug Development & AI's Role in Disease Treatment Episode 459: The Hartford's Chris Swift & Claire Burns on Legacy, A Bold New Look, and Lasting Impact

Dennis Kambeitz is the CEO of EZ-Robot, an industry leading AI and robotics literacy organization. He has taught and demonstrated robotics to more than 22,000 students and helped more than 25,000 educators understand how robotics and AI are transforming the workplace. Schools that implement Dennis' strategies have seen enrollment in robotics and computer science increase by up to 10 times for boys and 100 times for girls.Join us for an exciting conversation with Dennis Kambeitz, CEO of Easy Robot, warns about the massive impact of AI and robotics on jobs over the next 6 years, with projections of 400-800 million jobs being eliminated. He discusses why robotics and AI literacy will be essential skills for the future workforce and how parents need to take action now to prepare their children.Takeaways:1.) The Scale of AI/Robotics Impact is Unprecedented2.) Early Adoption is Critical for Future Success3.) Education Systems Are Not Adequately Preparing PeopleConnect with Dennis Kambeitz:Website | Linkedin | LinkedinTimestamps:00:00 Educators Unprepared for Future Changes06:18 Online Retail's Impact on Brick-and-Mortar08:10 AI Skills: The Key Differentiator12:10 Schools Hesitant About Teaching AI16:40 AI's Impact: Balancing Innovation & Individuality18:09 Beyond the Box: Embracing AI22:30 University, Jobs, and Future Uncertainty26:01 Learning AI: Overcoming Fear28:06 "AI: Expert Advantage Over Novices"33:14 Economic Shifts and Competitive Future36:04 "High-Tech Skills for Economic Success"40:06 Unexpected Journey into Robotics & AI40:52 "Embrace Trends Early"_____________________________________________

In order to move to the next level of maturity and capacity, both as people and as a company, a coffee shop and its staff but be pursuing more than just checking off the day's work. Pursuing professional development is essential to bring efficiency, effectiveness, fulfillment, and even abundance into the conversation when we look at our operations. But what might that look like? Today we are going to be exploring how we can embrace professional development and provide consistent opportunities for growth to our staff as a way of investing both in them and the health of the coffee shop.  In th midst of the price increases across the industry, this is yet another way to lean into relationships that will yield higher returns for all involved. We cover: Why professional development is essential for the growth of coffee shops How a leaner, well-trained team can provide better service How raising prices requires raising standards in quality and service Investing in staff training for better customer experience Why baristas should be treated as professionals, not just workers Systematic training as a crucial component for consistency and quality Business skills are just as important as coffee skills for success Leadership development is necessary for effective management Why we need to pursue a culture of excellence that benefits both staff and customers  Remaining committed to developing profesionalization programs    Related episodes:  296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles Leaner Teams, Better Results 472: Why Technical Skill as a Leader is Not Enough w/ Jonathan Raymond, Refound, Author: Good Authority 426: Fostering a Culture of Continuous Improvement 339 : What Good Barista Training Produces 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards 489: Tips for Creating a Resilient Cafe ATTENTION CAFE OWNERS w/ 2+ Years of running your brick and mortar.... - LOOKING FOR A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT, ACCOUNTABILITY, INSIGHT, AND ENCOURAGEMENT?  - The Key Holder Coaching Group master-mind are now taking new applicants for our 4th cohort launching in march!    Click below to fill out your application now! KEY HOLDER COACHING APPLICATION   INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING? If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com